WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:04.360 Hey, it's Jennifer Jones Lee. You're listening to KFI, a M six 2 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:09.439 forty wake up call on demand on the iHeartRadio app. My name is Jason 3 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:13.199 Middleton. I am in for Jennifer Jones Lee all week. This week, 4 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:18.359 I was talking with a news editor just before we went on the air about 5 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:22.559 second Mondays. I never could find a value to Tuesdays. Right, there's 6 00:00:22.600 --> 00:00:26.000 Mondays. Everybody braces for Monday coming out of the weekend, Wednesday's Humpday, 7 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:30.320 Thursday's Friday, Eve, Friday, you know, Friday, Tuesday. Niver 8 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:34.280 had a thing, but she said, Tuesday's just one day closer to Friday, 9 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:36.439 and I was like, yeah, let's let's stay optimistic. I'm with 10 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:40.000 that. Let's also get some headlines before we get into the rest of this 11 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:45.479 hour. Treasury Secretary and former Chair of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen says time 12 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:50.479 is running out to get a deal done ahead of today's Biden McCarthy meeting about 13 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:54.399 the debt ceiling. McCarthy has said the House needs a deal to vote on 14 00:00:54.840 --> 00:01:00.039 by this weekend. Ukraine's president Zelenski has been touring away Western Europe getting more 15 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:07.280 missiles and munitions for the countries anticipated counter offensive against Russia. Later this hour, 16 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:11.799 we will talk with ABC's Inez Delakata and get an update on the Ukraine 17 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:17.760 Russia war. And the Lakers continue their championship pursuit tonight against the Denver Nuggets. 18 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:21.319 It's the first of a seven game series. It's a battle of the 19 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:26.959 big men in that one. That's the Brow Anthony Davis versus the Joker Djokovic. 20 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:30.959 Those guys are going to be patrolling the paint. Lakers got passed the 21 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:34.400 Warriors because they had a bigger paint presence, and the series winner goes on 22 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:40.599 to the NBA Championship against either of the Celtics or the Heat. In just 23 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.840 a few minutes, we're gonna talk with Terrence Hayes. Terrence is the Press 24 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:49.439 secretary at the BA. The Veterans Administration has a program that expands healthcare and 25 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:53.560 benefits for vets, but it's under a deadline. You can apply for an 26 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:57.000 extension, So we're going to get the details on the Packed Act that was 27 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:00.680 passed last year. It's coming up in August on another deadline, so we 28 00:02:00.760 --> 00:02:02.439 need the details around that. Let's start with some of the other stories coming 29 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:05.959 out of the KFI twenty four hour news room. We always lead local. 30 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:09.719 The La County Department of Public Health says rising numbers of deaths among the homeless 31 00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:15.719 are being caused by fentonyl overdoses. The number of drug overdoses and the homeless 32 00:02:15.719 --> 00:02:20.800 population has gone up by fifty eight percent since twenty twenty one. Healthcare in 33 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:24.759 Actions doctor Jose Luis Gonzalez says one of the biggest reasons for this is cross 34 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:31.080 contamination. You might be thinking you're smoking methemphetamine and it might be laced with 35 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:37.319 fentonel. Doctor Gonzalez says because of that, some people are accidentally getting addicted 36 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:42.319 to fentanyl. The department's report released last week shows overdoses in general being the 37 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:46.199 number one cause of death among the homeless in twenty twenty one in La Chris 38 00:02:46.199 --> 00:02:53.520 Adler KFI News Scientists with NASA JPL say there's been a dramatic drop in greenhouse 39 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:57.639 gas emissions along a stretch of the South Bay where the bulk of those refineries 40 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:00.840 operate. The report notes the reduction of the last three years is most likely 41 00:03:00.919 --> 00:03:05.960 due to sparse vehicle traffic during the pandemic, which of course halted demand for 42 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:10.680 fuel Researchers also discovered a seven percent drop in human caused emissions in La San 43 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:16.240 Bernardino, Orange and Riverside counties from the year's twenty fifteen to twenty twenty. 44 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:21.400 That represented a reduction of thirty three million pounds of methane released per year. 45 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:25.240 Officials say despite a drop in the number of migrants trying to cross the California 46 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:30.800 Mexico border following Title forty two's expiration of enforcement, they're expecting a surge soon 47 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:36.599 as cartels and smugglers figure out a workaround for Title eight and a tougher approach 48 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:39.960 to border enforcement. Border agents say they are bracing for another caravan style push 49 00:03:39.960 --> 00:03:43.719 towards the sande see to report of entry in the coming weeks, and for 50 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:46.680 those migrants who successfully entered to seak asylum, there is still a challenge. 51 00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:52.199 Migrant or that family has to be housed someplace or be placed into a community 52 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:55.439 while they are awaiting the adjudication process or a hearing. To National security expert 53 00:03:55.479 --> 00:04:00.479 John Cohen says most of the hearing dates won't even happen until twenty twenty five 54 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:04.199 or twenty twenty six. Steve Gregory, King of Fine News Uber is promoting 55 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:11.319 a service where users can save some cash by catching rides with strangers. Uber 56 00:04:11.319 --> 00:04:15.599 announced last week riders can save thirty five percent on trips by using Uber uber 57 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:18.959 carpool and sharing the ride with another person heading in the same direction. It's 58 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:24.199 offered Monday through Friday during peak commute times in most areas. Users have to 59 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:28.560 schedule their rides thirty minutes to thirty days ahead of time. Comedian Margaret cho 60 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:31.759 and the late actor Leslie Jordan have been named Grand Marshals of this year's La 61 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:36.480 Pride Parade. Pride officials say Chow will be honored for her years of anti 62 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:43.000 racism and anti bullying advocacy and her support of LGBTQ plus rights. Jordan, 63 00:04:43.079 --> 00:04:46.600 who died in October when he suffered a heart attack while driving in Hollywood, 64 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:50.240 will serve as the Legacy Grand Marshal. It's a new title to posthumously celebrate 65 00:04:50.279 --> 00:04:55.120 those who have made an impact on the community, and The Pride Parade is 66 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:59.519 June eleventh at Sunset and Highland in Hollywood. In just a couple of minutes, 67 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:03.120 We're get what, why, and how the VA's extended benefits for veterans. 68 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:06.199 Six minutes after five on your wake Up Call on the KFI Live Line. 69 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:09.439 We're going to have Terrence Hayes in just a minute from the VA, 70 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:13.360 but first a couple of quick stories. The Fed's recent interest rate hikes has 71 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:16.839 caused the US dollar to become more valuable. The American Enterprise Institute says higher 72 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:20.959 interest rates are keeping excess cash out of the US and strengthening the dollar. 73 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:26.480 It has been increasing in value compared to currency from other countries. This also 74 00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:30.560 means the US dollar index is on an upward trajectory. Places like Indonesia, 75 00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:33.600 Brazil, and Chile have all benefited because of higher commodity prices, bringing in 76 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:38.800 more dollars for goods and for services. Usually the dollar fluctuates. It's it's 77 00:05:38.839 --> 00:05:42.160 either when it's really really good in the US the economy, the dollar goes 78 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:46.279 up and it's really really bad or scarier jittery kind of right now because of 79 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:48.839 the debt ceiling, the dollar also picks up some scene because people are not 80 00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:54.720 as investing as much in the bond market. Here, it's seven minutes after 81 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:58.360 five o'clock on your wake Up Call and on the KFI Live Line, as 82 00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:00.920 promised as Terrence Hayes he's with the Veterans Administration. He's going to help us 83 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:05.120 spell out how veterans can apply or reapply for the Packed Act benefits. Let's 84 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:09.160 start at the beginning, Terrence, and good morning, Good morning, how 85 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:12.040 are you? I'm good? Thank you? What is okay? Updates on 86 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:15.959 the Packed Act and who can it help? Yeah? The pack Act is 87 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:20.759 a significant law that expands VA healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits 88 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:28.240 and other toxic substances. This law empowers VA to provide generations of veterans and 89 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:33.759 their survivors with the care and benefits they've earned and quite frankly deserve. And 90 00:06:34.199 --> 00:06:38.839 I understand it expires on August the tenth. It was passed last year, 91 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:41.680 so this is a this is an extension of benefits that need to be applied 92 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:45.439 for. So actually there is no expiration date. So I want to make 93 00:06:45.480 --> 00:06:48.720 sure that we're perfectly clear on the okay. There is a one year date 94 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:54.000 that is very urgent to us. And what it is is that if any 95 00:06:54.120 --> 00:07:00.480 veteran or survivor applies for their benefits before August ninth of this year, benefits 96 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:03.720 could potentially be backdated to when President Biden signed the bill into law last year, 97 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:08.360 So there's benefits on the table for those individuals. But you can follow 98 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:13.800 a claim today, tomorrow, next year, five years from now, at 99 00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:18.279 any given point a veteran can do. So here's how does this this packed 100 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:23.639 Act differ from other benefits. I mean it's I realize it's focused, but 101 00:07:24.040 --> 00:07:28.560 what other benefits are pulled out? Yeah, I mean this is vital. 102 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:32.839 What it is is that it's very important because there's twenty three new presumptive conditions. 103 00:07:32.920 --> 00:07:39.439 And bottom line is this, if any veteran or any survivor knows of 104 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:45.319 their veteran may have been exposed to any of those twenty three conditions. If 105 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:48.759 you have any of those twenty three conditions, it's automatically assumed that it's because 106 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:53.439 of your service. The evidence, the burden approof is no longer on you 107 00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:57.240 as a veteran or the survivor. We automatically assume this. So it's vital 108 00:07:57.319 --> 00:08:01.639 that you give us a call at one eight hundred nine eight two four one 109 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:05.560 one or visit the website at VA dot gov slash pack to find out more 110 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:09.120 information on how you can get those benefits to day, Do you have any 111 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:11.639 ballpark figure as to how many veterans could be affected by this or benefit from 112 00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:16.399 this, Yeah, yeah, Our estimate looks at about three point five million 113 00:08:16.519 --> 00:08:20.759 men and women who potentially could be impacted by the pack DAC. So far, 114 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:26.319 we've received over five hundred thousand claims thus far, and to the average 115 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:28.199 individual that may seem like a lot, but to us as a small number. 116 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:33.080 So again we're encouraging as many men and women to please give us a 117 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:37.559 call and follow those claims today. But also to those who made they don't 118 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:41.120 know if they have been exposed or not, we're encouraging those who are already 119 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:46.200 in our healthcare system to visit their primary care physician. The schedule was called 120 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:50.480 a toxic exposure screening. More than two point five million men and women have 121 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:52.320 done so already. I actually have done so as well as a veteran, 122 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:58.919 and it's very useful. It could lead to diagnosis, further testing in a 123 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:03.000 treatment plan, and again that evidence to support those claims as well. So 124 00:09:03.080 --> 00:09:07.120 again, if you're interested, find out more at visiting va dot gov slash 125 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:09.200 pack. You mentioned there that some people might not even know if they've been 126 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:16.919 exposed to burn pits and agent orange toxic substances. Are there any typical or 127 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:20.240 telltale symptoms or after effects that people can might be looked well, be looking 128 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:24.320 for or keep an eye out for. Yeah, again, if they visit 129 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:28.240 that site and via dot gov slash pack with those twenty three presumptive conditions there, 130 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.720 and if you have any of those conditions, any of them, stop 131 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:35.639 exactly what you're doing right now, give us a call, or visit your 132 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:41.559 local Veteran service organization who have service officers there to assist you free of charge 133 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:45.879 to follow those claims. But again, it's vital that you get on that 134 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:50.080 website and see those conditions because if you have any of those, this pertains 135 00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:52.639 to you. Terence, thank you so much for your time, this wanting 136 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:56.120 important information. Thank you so much. It's Terence Hayes. He's the Press 137 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:01.159 Secretary of the Veterans Administration. Let's get back to some of the stories coming 138 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:03.759 out of the KFI twenty four hour news room before we go to traffic. 139 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:09.279 Offence has been put around islands on San Vicente Boulevard in Beverly Grove to keep 140 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:13.399 homeless camps out. People in the area had complained about the dozens of tents 141 00:10:13.399 --> 00:10:18.600 in the area before the city recently cleared them. Officials say other beautification projects 142 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:22.399 are in the works for the area as well. State lawmakers have passed a 143 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:26.559 first of its kind bill prohibiting toxic chemicals and processed foods and drinks. It 144 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:31.320 now moves to the state Senate. If signed into law, the bill would 145 00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:35.039 ban the sale, production, or distribution of any food product in California containing 146 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:41.399 yeah, the infamous red dye number three and other chemicals commonly found in sodas, 147 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:46.159 flame and hot Cheetos, candies, and cereals. Research has linked the 148 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:50.000 chemicals to cancer, reproductive issues, and behavioral and developmental issues in kids. 149 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:56.639 Striking members of the WGA say they will not pick it next month's Tony Award 150 00:10:56.759 --> 00:11:01.879 telecast, which would hurt what many consider broadways biggest night. That last week, 151 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:05.159 the union denied a request by Tony organizers to have a waiver for their 152 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:11.200 June eleventh live telecast. The guild says some sort of Tony show might work 153 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:16.120 within specific requests from the WGA. The guild does not represent Broadway writers, 154 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:22.039 but it does represent writers who work on the Tony's telecast. So our gassum 155 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:26.679 seaweed is causing a problem on beaches in Jupiter, Florida. Scientists say the 156 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:31.879 seaweed is threatening sea turtles nesting season. Marine life scientist Heather Baron says the 157 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:37.120 seaweed provides sanctuary and nutrients for the turtles once they get out to see out 158 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:41.879 at sea. It's a very natural and important part of their development and environment. 159 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:48.360 However, on our beaches it can certainly provide an impediment. The brown 160 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:52.480 seaweed has blanketed beaches and grown in size over the last few months. If 161 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:54.279 you've seen the pictures, you know what I mean. Down in southern Florida, 162 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:58.200 Miami Dade County has set aside nearly four million dollars for cleanup efforts this 163 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:03.759 year and requested an additional two million dollars from the state. When we come 164 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:07.559 back, we will take the temperature in Washington around the debt sealing negotiations. 165 00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:11.879 Wall Street looks a little jittery right now in pre market trading, so ABC's 166 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:16.000 Karen Travers will give us an update from DC a few more stories before we 167 00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:20.799 get into the break. A bill banning Florida's public colleges and universities from funding 168 00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:24.559 diversity, equity and inclusion programs will soon become law in the state. Governor 169 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:31.279 Ronda Santist signed the measure Monday yesterday, saying DEI efforts are an attempt to 170 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:35.200 impose an ideological agenda on students and faculty. He added that the initiative promotes 171 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:43.679 exclusion and discrimination. The law also says that general courses cannot distort significant historical 172 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:48.039 events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics. It's set to go into 173 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:52.360 effect on July. The first. Elon Musk is being subpoened as part of 174 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:58.360 the lawsuit in the US Virgin Islands accusing JP Morgan Chase of enabling sexual abuse 175 00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:03.879 by Jeff Free Epstein. According to Reuters, the subpoena is seeking all communications 176 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:09.600 between Musk and Epstein, stating that Epstein may have referred the Tesla and SpaceX 177 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:13.960 CEO to the bank. The subpoena also reportedly requests documents from Musk about Epstein's 178 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:20.879 involvement in human trafficking. The lawsuit filed by the Virgin Islands claims JP Morgan 179 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:26.679 Chase knowingly benefited from alleged sexual abuse by Epstein. Okay, we talked about 180 00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:31.799 the Lakers a little bit ago. Let's talk about a less well, let's 181 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.759 just talk about hockey. The next round of the Stanley Cup playoff field is 182 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:37.960 set. The Stars beat the Seattle crack in two to one in yesterday's Game 183 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:43.120 seven that was in Dallas to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Dallas will 184 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:48.200 square off against the Golden Nights in the next round. Vegas will have ulm 185 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:52.519 ice in the seven game series, which begins Friday. Meanwhile, the Carolina 186 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:58.759 Hurricanes host the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals, with Game one taking 187 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:01.879 place in Raleigh. That's on Thursday. Okay, in a couple of minutes, 188 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:05.879 we're gonna come back and we're gonna talk about the debt ceiling negotiations. 189 00:14:05.960 --> 00:14:11.440 Right after this, you're listening to Wake Up Call with Jennifer jones Lee on 190 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:15.360 demand from k five AM six forty. My name is Jason Middleton. I 191 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:20.399 am in for Jennifer Jones Lee this week. She is on rodeo duty up 192 00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:26.200 near reading, seen some family and some livestock. Some quick headlines before we 193 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:28.639 get into the rest of the show. The federal government is stepping up to 194 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:35.159 stop an anticipated surge of illegal immigration at the southern border. A Pentagon spokesman 195 00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:39.440 says that another nine hundred and fifty troops will be arriving by the end of 196 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:43.919 the month, with most headed to El Paso, Texas. The man behind 197 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:48.440 chat GPT will testify before Congress today open a ice, THEEO, Sam Altman 198 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:54.879 will take questions from lawmakers calling for guardrails and regulation of artificial intelligence tools over 199 00:14:54.960 --> 00:15:01.080 fears that it could be abused. Altman's company is is leading the development of 200 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:05.480 AI with its popular platform chat GPT. It also launched a thousand headlines when 201 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:11.279 it paired up with Microsoft and the being search Being has seen some share gain 202 00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:18.000 when it comes to search overall, eating into Google's de facto monopoly of online 203 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:24.039 search. Taxpayers could soon be able to file their taxes digitally and free of 204 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:28.399 charge, directly with the IRS. The Washington Post reports the agency has been 205 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:35.639 quietly developing its own prototype system that could disrupt the tax prep market. The 206 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:41.639 Inflation Reduction Act set aside fifteen million dollars to create a free and direct filing 207 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:46.440 program. A few more headlines, because we have a lot of news moving 208 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:50.960 through on this Tuesday morning, Police in New Mexico say three people are dead 209 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:54.519 and several are injured after a shooting in a rural town. It happened yesterday 210 00:15:54.559 --> 00:16:00.639 in Farmington, which is northwest of Albuquerque. Authorities responded to a report of 211 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.039 shots fired and eventually confronted a male suspect, who later died after a gun 212 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:08.559 battle. Multiple officers are among those who were hurt. Nearby schools were placed 213 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:15.120 on lockdown during the event as well. Consumer debt, always something to keep 214 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:19.240 an eye on, hit a record high of more than seventeen trillion dollars in 215 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:23.159 the first quarter of twenty twenty three. So these are figures from the New 216 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:27.799 York Federal Reserve and they show the total for borrowing across all categories rows nearly 217 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:33.840 one hundred and fifty billion dollars during the period from January to March. The 218 00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:37.360 jump comes despite a sharp pullback and home loans due to rising mortgage rates. 219 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:41.639 Student loan debt also edged up to one point six trillion dollars in the first 220 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:47.759 quarter, so inflation is slowing a little bit. It's sticky, though, 221 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:52.320 but seeing this debt rise. On the consumer side, sixty six percent of 222 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:56.799 the American economy is based on consumer spending on services and goods, right, 223 00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:59.559 so if we keep spending on that, then we're going to see the economy 224 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:03.720 doing. Once we stop spending and racking up this credit card debt, we 225 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:07.960 might see that recession come and maybe stick around a little bit longer. I 226 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:10.519 don't think that the FED is going to lower rates by the end of this 227 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:11.759 year, like some people are hoping for. I don't think that's going to 228 00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:17.680 happen because inflation is so sticky still. But I do think it's anticipated and 229 00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:22.720 fair that a short term two to three quarter recession might be coming. To 230 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:26.759 write the ship Triple A air travel, we do have a holiday coming up. 231 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:30.799 Triple A predicts air travel over Memorial Day weekend we'll be busier this year 232 00:17:30.920 --> 00:17:37.160 than it was pre COVID, signaling a true return as they say to pre 233 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:41.559 twenty twenty travel levels. According to this year's report, about three point four 234 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:47.759 million Americans are expected to fly over the holiday weekend, an eleven percent increase 235 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:49.359 from last year. Not bad. It's also nearly a five and a half 236 00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:53.039 percent increase since twenty nineteen, before the COVID pandemic. This year is expected 237 00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:57.359 to be the busiest Memorial Day weekend since two thousand. That's way before the 238 00:17:57.359 --> 00:18:04.079 pandemic. When Blaze started tracking these numbers to begin with. Pasadena, back 239 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:08.799 here in California, has approved having a response team on standby to respond to 240 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:14.799 bee swarms. The city has contracted a live bee removal company for at least 241 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:18.960 the next three years. With over twenty four parks that we have in Pasadena, 242 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:23.759 we have beautiful hiking trails the Arroyo area, so there are at the 243 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:29.119 risk of bees. Pasadena's Lisader Darian says. There have been several swarms in 244 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:32.720 the city over the last few years. One swarm of up to forty thousand 245 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:36.640 bees in twenty twenty led to a city block being closed in five people being 246 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:41.359 injured. The contract was approved yesterday in Pasadena Blake Trolley k if I news, 247 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:44.200 so that was Pasadena. A massew swarm of bees has taken over a 248 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:48.119 neighborhood in Encino, La City Fire and police both responded yesterday, treating at 249 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:52.839 least two people for beastings. Firefighters had been called to what they thought was 250 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:56.039 one beasting and when they arrived they saw hundreds of bees. People were told 251 00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:00.160 to stay inside and wait for animal control. The amount of greenhouse gas has 252 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.519 continued to drop in the LA region over the last few years. Scientists at 253 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:07.400 NASA JPL installed eight censors around the area, and from twenty fifteen to twenty 254 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:11.119 twenty, human const dimissions fell by seven percent. That's a reduction of thirty 255 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:15.200 three million pounds of methane released per year. The largest reductions were found at 256 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:18.880 censors near Granada Hills and Ontario. The censors gathered data from La Orange, 257 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:22.640 San Bernardino, and Riverside counties and also showed the drop in emissions was most 258 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:26.640 likely due to the lack of vehicle traffic during the pandemic. Researchers also noted 259 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:30.680 a significant reduction in greenhouse gases over the last three years along the South Bay, 260 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:37.720 where most refineries operate. Steve Gregory Canofine News some paycheck News State regulators 261 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:42.200 have returned more than four hundred and thirty seven thousand dollars in stolen wages two 262 00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:49.000 thirty four workers in commerce workers happily stepped up to grab their checks, many 263 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:53.839 as high as fourteen thousand dollars. State Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia Bauer says golden 264 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:59.079 food, falsified paste, dubs, and underpaid workers comp insurance. These business 265 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:04.480 practices are atrocious. State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Laura said yesterday the company underreported four 266 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:10.400 point five million dollars in payroll over a six year period to illegally saved workers' 267 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:15.359 compensation insurance and fail to pay their employees for their hard work. The owners 268 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:18.880 of Golden Food faced forty three labor fraud felonies and took a plea deal. 269 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:22.759 In Commerce, Corbin Carson k I finds a person looking for a Democratic Congressman 270 00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:27.839 Jerry Connolly at his district office in Virginia has attacked two of his staffers with 271 00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:33.759 a metal baseball bat. Connolly says both staffers were hospitalized, but their injuries 272 00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:37.559 are not life threatening. ABC's Lindsay Watts says one of the staffers was hit 273 00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:41.839 in the head yesterday, the other was hit on the side. Both were 274 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:45.720 taken to the hospital. US Capitol Police arrested the attacker. Duncan is offering 275 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:49.000 free pick me ups to make Mondays better. I not ites today's Tuesday, 276 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:52.519 but I'm hoping to plan ahead, it says. Coffee drinkers in California can 277 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:59.720 get free medium drinks every Monday through June twenty sixth with any purchase. Coffee 278 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:03.160 drinks need to use the Duncan app and sign up as a rewards member to 279 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:10.359 redeem the free caffeine. Native Americans are demanding accountability from Dartmouth College because of 280 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:15.000 its use of Indigenous skeletal remains for teaching. The school says the remains had 281 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:21.359 been incorrectly cataloged as those not being Native American. They were later correctly identified. 282 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:26.039 The university says it will take meaningful action by consulting the tribes most impacted 283 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:32.119 by the discovery. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act requires federally funded 284 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:37.880 institutions, such as universities to return remains and cultural items to the appropriate tribes. 285 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:42.559 Southern California weather from KFI. Low clouds and fog and some patchie drizzle 286 00:21:42.680 --> 00:21:47.200 this morning, then partly cloudy skies later on Today. Highs in the upper 287 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:52.119 sixties and seventies for inland LA and Orange County. Some same start at the 288 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:56.119 beaches. Slightly cooler of course for the inland valleys, though highs are going 289 00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:57.640 to be in the eighties today. Tonight, the low clouds and fog move 290 00:21:57.720 --> 00:22:02.279 back in with overnight lows round sixty Tomorrow. It's pretty much the same start 291 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:06.119 to the day slightly warmer temperatures across the board. Right now, Manhattan Beach 292 00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:10.039 is fifty nine, Anaheim is sixty one, Torrance is sixty and Altadena is 293 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.359 fifty five. When we come back, we're gonna get a chat with ABC's 294 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:18.359 tech reporter Mike Dubuski about the Microsoft purchase of gaming company Activision Blizzard. You're 295 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:23.319 listening to Wake Up Call with Jennifer Jones Lee on demand from KFI AM six 296 00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:26.039 forty. Little drizzle out there as well, so if be careful on the 297 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:29.960 roads, you know how that sheen can happen and cause a spin out. 298 00:22:30.279 --> 00:22:33.160 A couple of quick headlines before we get to nerd out with Mike Dubuski. 299 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:36.720 A suspect on the terror watch list has been arrested trying to cross the border 300 00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:40.960 into San Diego. A suspect from Afghanistan on the FBI's terror watch list was 301 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:45.240 arrested in ote Mesa Wednesday after crossing the border illegally as part of a larger 302 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:51.279 group. A bill banning Florida's public colleges and universities from funding diversity equity end 303 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:55.319 inclusion programs will soon become law in the state. Governor Rod distant has signed 304 00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:59.039 that law. Yes yesterday, Elon Musk is being subpoened as part of the 305 00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:03.759 lawsuit in the US Virgin Islands accusing JP Morgan Chase of enabling sexual abuse by 306 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:07.240 Jeffrey Epstein. News is brought to you by American Vision Windows. At five 307 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:11.119 fifty, we're going to close out wake Up Call with ABC News correspondent Inez 308 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:15.519 Daia Kata. The topic for that one is the Ukrainian ramp up for a 309 00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:21.039 possible counter offensive in its war with Russia. President Zelenski has been traveling through 310 00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:26.680 Europe as he looks for more military aid for Ukraine. Right now, on 311 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:29.920 the liveline, we have ABC Tech reporter Mike Debuski. He's gonna help me 312 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:34.319 unpack Microsoft's I guess almost done purchase of gaming company Activision Blizzard. It's a 313 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:38.920 big deal, sixty nine billion dollars all cash offer. Good morning, Mike. 314 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:45.640 I think almost is the keyword there. Yesterday Microsoft inched a little bit 315 00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:49.960 closer to closing this deal. EU regulators basically gave them the go ahead to 316 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:56.240 acquire Active Vision Blizzard. Activision Blizzard not a name that most people non gamers 317 00:23:56.319 --> 00:24:00.720 might know, but it is the largest independent video game publisher in the world. 318 00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:03.279 You probably know some of the products that they put out, things like 319 00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:07.599 Candy Crush, popular mobile game, World of Warcraft, a very popular and 320 00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:11.880 long running online multiplayer game, and then of course the big one, Call 321 00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:15.759 of Duty, which is a huge sales success for them. New Call of 322 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:19.720 Duty games can't come out basically every year. Microsoft really trying to acquire this 323 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:25.240 video game publisher, in part because they are the owner of Xbox, right, 324 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:27.519 And this is why regulators are taking a very close look at this deal, 325 00:24:27.640 --> 00:24:30.920 is that if they own the maker of the games, and they own 326 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:34.559 the thing that you play the games on, that would be a concern with 327 00:24:34.599 --> 00:24:38.960 regards to antitrust. Yeah, talk about moat right truly, Yeah, yeah, 328 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:42.119 exactly. The owning the rails is the cliche, but I think it 329 00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:47.400 applies here. But it is also worth mentioning that the deal is not closed 330 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:51.880 yet. Last year, the FTC here in the United States sued to block 331 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:56.079 the deal, and then last month British regulators made moves to block the deal 332 00:24:56.119 --> 00:25:00.680 as well, specifically with focus on this sort of immerg urging part of the 333 00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:04.720 gaming space known as the cloud gaming technology, so that that that is kind 334 00:25:04.759 --> 00:25:08.160 of the things that they need to clear from here on in. Essentially from 335 00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:11.720 experts that I've talked to, it basically means that all world governments and all 336 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:15.160 the regulators who are taking a look at this deal need to be in agreement 337 00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:18.759 because it's not like there's going to be one version of Xbox here in the 338 00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:22.559 United States and one version in the European Union. They kind of need to 339 00:25:22.599 --> 00:25:26.599 all be, you know, uh, copasetic with one another because of the 340 00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:32.359 globalized nature of the video game industry and the tech industry in general. Right, 341 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:34.440 And are there any privacy issues around here, because I know the EU's 342 00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:38.599 years ahead of us when it comes to policies or regulations around privacy. Yeah, 343 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:42.559 it is interesting to see the EU give this deal the go ahead and 344 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:47.880 the United States not, because usually when it comes to big tech regulation, 345 00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:51.279 it's the inverse, right, Jason. It's like the the EU has been 346 00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:55.559 very aggressive when it comes to h you know, taking tech companies to task. 347 00:25:55.720 --> 00:26:00.039 They find Google in the millions, if not billions of dollars for what 348 00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:03.200 they say are alleged antitrust practices. But what I think is kind of interesting 349 00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:08.799 to note here is the British movement here, right, the British moved last 350 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:15.000 month late last month to block this deal, and they made specific focus on 351 00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:19.559 cloud gaming, which is this sort of interesting tactic because it almost seems like 352 00:26:19.559 --> 00:26:23.359 they're trying to stop a monopoly from happening before it's allowed to take hold, 353 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.480 right, Like the traditional way of dealing with antitrust concerns is to break up 354 00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:32.759 big tech companies or big companies and then allow them to be smaller companies that 355 00:26:32.839 --> 00:26:36.759 can operate with more competition. Now, because the cloud gaming space is so 356 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:40.480 small, they are almost doing that in the reverse. They're trying to kind 357 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:44.400 of get ahead of the problem before it is allowed to happen. And Microsoft 358 00:26:44.440 --> 00:26:47.880 has given a number of concessions to the EU in order to get their thumbs 359 00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:52.000 up. Right, They've committed to keeping Activision Blizzard games on other platforms non 360 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:57.599 Xbox platforms, meaning Nintendo and PlayStation for the next ten years, which has 361 00:26:57.640 --> 00:27:03.839 caused some analysts to one under why what is Xbox's role here if there are 362 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:07.680 no exclusives to that that platform. Right, the video game industry is heavily 363 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:14.160 reliant on exclusive games or exclusive to certain consoles and platforms and that sort of 364 00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:17.519 thing. So that's that's sort of still a question mark, and obviously they 365 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:22.000 still have to contend with the ongoing processes in the United States and Britain. 366 00:27:22.119 --> 00:27:26.000 So yeah, far from a done deal, but they're moving in a positive 367 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:29.200 direction at least this week when it comes to Microsoft closing this thing. We're 368 00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:33.000 speaking with ABC Tech reporter Mike Dubuski about the Microsoft Activision Blizzard deal. It's 369 00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:37.240 a sixty nine billion dollar deal. I believe it's an all cash offer on 370 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:40.240 the table waiting for Britain to approve it. I'm going to ask you to 371 00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:42.200 keep your analyst hat on just for one more second, because um, okay. 372 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:47.200 Microsoft obviously making some headlines starting this year with Chat, GPT and the 373 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:52.359 merger into being for online search. Is there any play here for AI or 374 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:55.240 is it more of a meta play down the road if you're Satia Adela, 375 00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:59.400 the CEO at Microsoft. So when they instituted, when they first announced that 376 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:02.960 they were going to do this last year, obviously it made a huge amount 377 00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:06.519 of press just based on the size of the deal. This is not just 378 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:11.160 the biggest video game deal in video game history, it's the largest consumer tech 379 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:15.279 deal in almost two decades. AOL acquired Time Warner about twenty years ago, 380 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:18.160 and that was the last biggest one, just to put this whole thing in 381 00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:21.640 context. But when that happened, they did say this was a play for 382 00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:23.599 the metaverse, that that was a lot of the line that came out of 383 00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:27.559 this. We're not hearing so much about the metaverse that much anymore, and 384 00:28:27.880 --> 00:28:33.839 I think ultimately it really was a play to get the games that people like, 385 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:37.880 these really popular video games and the Xbox platform, which is also a 386 00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:41.440 popular platform, to sort of play nice with one another. But it's also 387 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:45.720 I think worth mentioning that the Xbox platform is very popular here in the United 388 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:51.720 States, it's less popular in Europe, where PlayStation largely dominates. So I 389 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:55.200 think that was maybe part of their thinking in this, to make Xbox a 390 00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:57.839 more globalized brand, to bring sort of some of the more appealing games to 391 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:03.000 that platform in foreign markets. But you know, again, that's that's sort 392 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:07.240 of yet to be determined whether that will actually play out for them, because 393 00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:08.759 as I said, we kind of got to get all these governments to play 394 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:12.440 nice with one another, or at least we have to get the governments to 395 00:29:12.440 --> 00:29:17.440 play nice with Activision, Blizzard, and Microsoft here and then Jason, just 396 00:29:17.480 --> 00:29:19.160 one more thing that I want to mention here because I think it's important to 397 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:22.200 put this all in context. Right. We talked about how big this deal 398 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:26.359 is and how important it is for the gaming industry in the tech industry. 399 00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:29.880 This is also important for a lot of people. Two billion people in the 400 00:29:29.880 --> 00:29:33.039 world to play video games in some capacity. That's a little bit more than 401 00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:37.119 one quarter of the global population. The video game industry is one hundred and 402 00:29:37.160 --> 00:29:41.720 seventy five billion dollars. Investipedia says that means it's bigger than both the movie 403 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:45.079 and the music industry combined. So this, uh, you know, the 404 00:29:45.319 --> 00:29:48.119 conception of video games might be that, you know, it's people who play 405 00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:52.200 them on consoles in your living room or doing your basement, but it's a 406 00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:55.480 lot bigger than that. And what happens here with Microsoft and Activision, it's 407 00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:56.839 going to impact a lot of people. Yeah, and you mentioned Meta and 408 00:29:56.880 --> 00:30:00.480 we mentioned AI a little bit. This is a growth at a gory. 409 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:03.079 If you think about it, it's it's spinning out original content, if you 410 00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:07.960 will, on different platforms from the franchises that they're building in the gaming industry. 411 00:30:07.960 --> 00:30:11.559 And two billion is nothing to I mean, Microsoft, Satia nadel to 412 00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:12.839 me, is the CEO of the century so far this year. Right, 413 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:17.759 Tim Cook is doing great, it's at keeping the things on track at Apple, 414 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:22.000 but but turning around Microsoft after coming out of the uh the Bomber years, 415 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:23.960 that's uh, that's impressive stuff. Absolutely, yeah, No, it's 416 00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:27.440 that Satia Nadela is is a really fascinating guy. We actually had the opportunity 417 00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:32.200 here at ABC News Radio to interview him a few years ago, uh and 418 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:34.640 right around the time that his book came out. And he's a really interesting 419 00:30:34.680 --> 00:30:37.799 guy, an interesting history, and I would recommend reading his book because you 420 00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:41.680 know, it gives you a little bit more insight, uh kind of into 421 00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:44.880 his history and his his time at Microsoft, as he mentioned during the Balmer 422 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:48.599 years. Um so yeah, and you also mentioned AI there. I mean, 423 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:51.240 that's that's a big deal this week as well here at home. I 424 00:30:51.240 --> 00:30:55.440 mean, Congress is looking into uh, you know, potential AI regulation. 425 00:30:55.920 --> 00:30:57.960 You know, also with regards to anti trust this week. That's a little 426 00:30:57.960 --> 00:31:00.880 bit more on the open AI side of things than the Microsoft side of things, 427 00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:06.160 but those two companies are deeply related. So Microsoft fighting a couple of 428 00:31:06.200 --> 00:31:11.039 different regulatory battles this week. It sums yeah. ABC's tech reporter Mike Dubusky. 429 00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:12.039 Mike, I have another show called Macro. Maybe you can join me 430 00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:15.079 over there. We can talk about regulational round AI. I would love to. 431 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:18.279 Yeah, absolutely, Thanks a lot, Mike for your time this morning. 432 00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:21.759 Take care by when we come back. ABC News correspondent Inez Dala Kata 433 00:31:21.799 --> 00:31:25.599 will update us on the situation in Ukraine and how Ukraine's president has been adding 434 00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:30.039 more military aid as they ramp up for a counter offensive. You're listening to 435 00:31:30.319 --> 00:31:33.839 Wake Up Call with Jennifer Jones Lee on Demand from KFI AM six. Forty. 436 00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:40.519 Congressman Jerry Connolly is confirming that two members of his staff were attacked by 437 00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:44.759 a person with a baseball bat yesterday at his Virginia office. The Democrat tweeted 438 00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:48.319 that the individual entered his district office, asked for Connolly, and then proceeded 439 00:31:48.319 --> 00:31:52.279 to attack the staff members. The person in custody and the two victims were 440 00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:57.559 taken to an area hospital non life threatening injuries. Triple A predicts air travel 441 00:31:57.599 --> 00:32:01.599 over Memorial Day weekend will be busier this year than it was pre cod but 442 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:06.119 according to this year's report, about three point four million Americans are expected to 443 00:32:06.119 --> 00:32:09.720 fly over the holiday weekend. That's up from last year. Consumer debt did 444 00:32:09.799 --> 00:32:14.920 hit a record high of seventeen trillion dollars in the first quarter of twenty twenty 445 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:19.200 three. For context, the US bond market that is the benchmark for the 446 00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:23.359 global economy is twenty four trillion dollars five fifty one. On your wake up 447 00:32:23.400 --> 00:32:27.759 call, ABC's Inez Dai Kata is on the line to talk with us about 448 00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:31.400 President Zelenski's recent tour of Europe and if he was able to add military aid 449 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:37.759 for Ukraine's army head of an anticipated counter offensive against Russia. Good morning, 450 00:32:37.880 --> 00:32:42.519 daz, Hey, good morning yeah. The Ukrainian President Lenski was on a 451 00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:46.839 whirlwind tour through Europe. He met with the German Chancellor Alophals in Germany. 452 00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:51.759 He then made a surprise trip to Paris, where he met with French President 453 00:32:51.799 --> 00:32:55.039 Emmanuel Macron, and then he headed up to London to meet with the British 454 00:32:55.039 --> 00:33:00.480 Prime Minister Rieshi Sunac. He did secure fresh pledges of military aid. He 455 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:06.880 for instance, got from the French president a pledge with France, pledging to 456 00:33:06.920 --> 00:33:12.319 train Ukrainian fighter pilots on French planes and to train them here in France. 457 00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:15.759 That's interesting because we've seen a lot of back and forth over this issue of 458 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:20.480 fighter jets, with Ukraine asking for warplanes, a lot of Western countries reluctant 459 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:24.720 to a handover those, um, those warplanes the US included, with the 460 00:33:24.759 --> 00:33:29.720 concern being that could really escalate the conflicts and really infuriate Russia. So they've 461 00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:34.599 been reluctant to send Ukraine warplanes. But here Macron is offering to train Ukrainian 462 00:33:34.839 --> 00:33:38.880 fighter pilots. We also got some uh, you know, pledges of military 463 00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:44.799 and financial aid from the from the UK, from Germany as well. UM, 464 00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:47.359 So yeah, a lot of a lot of additional help coming in from 465 00:33:47.640 --> 00:33:52.119 European leaders. And this comes, of course, as Kiev is planning a 466 00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:58.440 or we're expecting Kiev to carry out a major counter offensive in the spring. 467 00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:02.480 Um. Initially Ukrainian officials had said that was put on hold because they didn't 468 00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:06.839 have enough Western weapons. And so now that Zalvski has secured at all this 469 00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:10.400 additional aid, the thinking is that this counter offensive cold could really be just 470 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:15.360 stays away, wow, days away. Okay, because we've been it's not 471 00:34:15.400 --> 00:34:19.440 exactly been a secret that the Zolensky and the Ukrainian army wanted to counter a 472 00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:23.880 fan. Zolenski has described this war as a fundamental definition of civilization. The 473 00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:30.000 Russian president Putin recently had a parade in Moscow. It seems like a lot 474 00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:32.599 of this is playing out in public and very very not secret ways. Is 475 00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:36.519 that influencing anything when it comes to, for lack of a better term, 476 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:40.559 public relations or media relations on either side of the war. Yeah, you 477 00:34:40.599 --> 00:34:45.079 know, I think it's been it's certainly been interesting to see these how these 478 00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:49.360 two leaders have gone about it. And you're right, we've seen Putin quite 479 00:34:49.400 --> 00:34:52.840 a bit in recent weeks. There was that military parade and and and Putin 480 00:34:52.920 --> 00:34:57.480 did speak. It was kind of one of a rare appearance. We hadn't 481 00:34:57.480 --> 00:35:00.039 seen him in a while, and he did speak about the war. He 482 00:35:00.320 --> 00:35:05.840 talked about how the world had had fundamentally changed. He was accusing the West 483 00:35:05.880 --> 00:35:09.800 again of attacking Russia. Things like that. We've seen him him coming out 484 00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:15.559 kind of more publicly, and Russian officials also talking more and more about what's 485 00:35:15.559 --> 00:35:17.760 really going on on the ground, which was also kind of unusual because they've 486 00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:21.760 kept a lot of things kind of secret um and we are seeing, Yeah, 487 00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:24.639 the Ukrainian president. I mean he's been the center throughout the throughout the 488 00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:29.440 war, um, but certainly in recent days as this world and euro tour, 489 00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:31.480 Luke seeing a lot more of him. So yeah, I think there's 490 00:35:31.480 --> 00:35:35.639 a little bit of that as well. Both sides kind of touting their games. 491 00:35:35.719 --> 00:35:39.960 Ukraine just this week was touting its biggest battlefield advances in six months. 492 00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:44.639 Um so. So they're you know, saying that they're making progress already, 493 00:35:45.159 --> 00:35:47.559 um so so. And I think part of that is also to keep morale 494 00:35:47.639 --> 00:35:51.559 up of course, and and and but they but they're claiming that they have, 495 00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:53.199 you know, made more progress there than they have in six months. 496 00:35:53.400 --> 00:35:58.440 We're speaking with ABC's in as delicatea one one more question back to Western Europe 497 00:35:58.440 --> 00:36:02.039 real quickly, as um French President Makron is a self described internationalist, and 498 00:36:02.599 --> 00:36:07.840 is this aid package unsuspectable? Well, did we expect to get that out 499 00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:10.039 of France for this because it seems like training on the weapon systems that Ukraine 500 00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:13.840 already has is giving them an edge already they seem to be up to speed 501 00:36:13.880 --> 00:36:16.599 on a lot of those systems. Yeah. So, you know, it's 502 00:36:16.639 --> 00:36:20.679 interesting that the systems have certainly been a huge help, and we just saw 503 00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:24.480 that overnight with Russia launching a new kind of intense garage of missiles that Ukraine. 504 00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:28.360 Ukraine is able to shoot down all eighteen of those missiles. And what 505 00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:31.800 was especially interesting about last night is that there were hypersonic missiles views that Russia 506 00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:36.679 had touted as all but you know, unstoppable, and still those air defense 507 00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:38.199 systems were able to shoot them down. So I think that goes to show 508 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:42.320 just how well that's working. And yeah, the edge that Ukraine has over 509 00:36:42.360 --> 00:36:45.840 Russia in many ways because of all this aid that's coming in. When it 510 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:49.320 comes to what France is doing, Yeah, it's been interesting to see how 511 00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:52.639 different countries have you know, they, especially European countries, think Western countries 512 00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:57.239 as a whole natal allies. They wanted to present a united front when it 513 00:36:57.239 --> 00:37:00.480 comes to Ukraine, and I think they've suceeded in doing that. They want 514 00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:02.000 to show that they stand firmly behind Ukraine. But at the same time, 515 00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:07.519 there is a split amongst these countries when it comes to how just how far 516 00:37:07.719 --> 00:37:09.199 the age should go. And we've seen countries, for instance, on the 517 00:37:09.199 --> 00:37:13.960 eastern flying country like Poland or the Baltic States that are very much concerned about 518 00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:15.559 what's going on in Ukraine. They feel that a Russia isn't stopped there, 519 00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:20.239 Russia could come after the next So they've been really you know, Ukraine's biggest 520 00:37:20.239 --> 00:37:22.760 allies here. And when it comes to this issue of fighter jet fighter jets 521 00:37:22.760 --> 00:37:27.639 that we were discussing earlier, countries like Poland for instance, have been very 522 00:37:27.719 --> 00:37:31.320 vocal and saying that they would be open to sending Ukraine fighter jets, whereas 523 00:37:31.320 --> 00:37:36.039 countries like France, the US, Germany, the UK are a little bit 524 00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:38.719 more measured, I want to say in their approach. They've been reluctant to 525 00:37:38.760 --> 00:37:44.719 set Ukraine fighter jets and and so they're maybe not at directly affected. And 526 00:37:44.760 --> 00:37:47.519 I think what you're seeing Kron doing here and helping training these pilots but not 527 00:37:47.559 --> 00:37:52.360 sending more plans is trying to walk that fine line of helping Ukraine without taking 528 00:37:52.360 --> 00:37:55.280 it too far. Well, thank you so much for your update on this. 529 00:37:55.639 --> 00:38:00.119 We've you know, as your time is very valuable and we really you 530 00:38:00.119 --> 00:38:04.880 appreciate you joining us this morning. Thank you ab season as Daily Cattery, 531 00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:12.000 they're updating us on the munitions and military aid headed to Ukraine for an often 532 00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:16.840 discussed and predicted counter offensive in that war against Russia. Back to some news 533 00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:20.760 coming out of the KFI twenty four hour newsroom, a convicted felon who shot 534 00:38:20.800 --> 00:38:24.280 a BB gun at planned parented in Pasadena has been sentenced. The man admitted 535 00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:29.760 to firing at the clinic at least eleven times between twenty twenty and twenty twenty 536 00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:34.920 one. The US attorneys Karen McAvoy says fifty three year old Richard Chamberlain also 537 00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:37.920 had a handgun with him during one of the attacks. Police found on the 538 00:38:38.000 --> 00:38:44.760 front passenger seat of Chamberlain's car a backpack containing a twenty two caliber pistol which 539 00:38:44.800 --> 00:38:49.199 was loaded with ten rounds of ammunition. Chamberlain last year pleaded guilty to being 540 00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:53.159 a felon with a firearm and ammunition. He was sentenced yesterday to thirty months 541 00:38:53.199 --> 00:38:59.920 in federal prison. Chris Adler KFI News, a former LAPD officer suspected of 542 00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:04.199 sexually assaulting four boys at his home in Covina has been arrested. The La 543 00:39:04.280 --> 00:39:07.360 County Sheriff's Department says the officer was arrested last week and remains in custody. 544 00:39:07.639 --> 00:39:13.360 The alleged abuse happened between two thousand and seven and twenty sixteen. Officials say 545 00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:16.400 based on the allegations and the officers access to children, there could be more 546 00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:22.639 kids abused than have been reported. Federal officials are looking to resume student loan 547 00:39:22.039 --> 00:39:27.800 debt repayments. The country's Education secretary says the process will start no later than 548 00:39:27.880 --> 00:39:31.239 June the thirtieth. Student loan payments have been paused federally for more than three 549 00:39:31.320 --> 00:39:36.440 years because of the pandemic. The Supreme Court has not yet made a ruling 550 00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:42.159 on challenges to President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. San Diego has been given 551 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:45.119 the option to sue Sea World. Rent is due and the balance is ten 552 00:39:45.159 --> 00:39:50.239 million dollars for the aquatic theme part. The San Diego City Council is voted 553 00:39:50.239 --> 00:39:52.599 to take legal action against Sea World to try and recover its back rent from 554 00:39:52.599 --> 00:39:57.440 most of twenty twenty. In early twenty twenty one, officials for SeaWorld release 555 00:39:57.480 --> 00:40:00.559 a statement that they will continue to work with the city to find a resolution. 556 00:40:00.960 --> 00:40:02.480 In the past, c World said it should not owe rent in their 557 00:40:02.519 --> 00:40:07.119 revenue sharing contract because theme parks were forced to shut down completely during the pandemic. 558 00:40:07.360 --> 00:40:10.440 The city said the least only allowed for rent to be deferred, not 559 00:40:10.599 --> 00:40:15.880 waived. Andrew Caravella, KFI News Southern California Weather from KFI Low clouds and 560 00:40:15.960 --> 00:40:20.360 fog this morning and then sunny a little bit later. Today. We do 561 00:40:20.400 --> 00:40:23.559 have some patchy fog also happening this morning and a drizzle we have to watch 562 00:40:23.559 --> 00:40:28.960 for the drizzle. High are going to be in the upper sixties and seventies 563 00:40:28.960 --> 00:40:31.679 for inland LA and OC. Same start at the beaches today, slightly cooler 564 00:40:31.800 --> 00:40:35.800 temps for the inland valleys. Highs are going to be in the eighties today. 565 00:40:35.880 --> 00:40:39.440 Tonight, the low clouds and fog may move back in overnight lows around 566 00:40:39.440 --> 00:40:43.920 sixty tomorrow. It's the same start to the day. You've been listening to 567 00:40:43.960 --> 00:40:46.320 your wake Up Call with me, Jennifer Jones Lee, and you can always 568 00:40:46.320 --> 00:40:51.519 hear wake Up Call five to six am Monday through Friday at kf I Am 569 00:40:51.559 --> 00:40:54.559 six forty and anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.