FBI Director James Comey (2nd L) speaks as U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch (L), and U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara (R). A grand jury in the Southern District of New York has indicted seven Iranian who performed work on behalf of the Iranian Government, on computer hacking charges.; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Yesterday the Justice Department indicted seven Iranian computers specialists for allegedly infiltrating the servers of a small dam in New York and close to 50 financial institutions including Bank of America and the New York Stock Exchange.

Federal investigators claim that one of the men was able to repeatedly gain access to computers controlling key systems of the dam located only 29 miles from Manhattan. At the time in 2013, the dam was disconnected to the facility’s computer, but had it been operational, the hacker would have been able to control both water level and flow rate.

Breaches of some of the largest banks and financial groups in the country are estimated to have cost millions of dollars.

Though the indictment did not specifically allege the Iranian government of directing the attacks, it indicated that the suspected attackers worked as computer contractors for the Iranian government. The charges are bringing attention to the risk of terrorist groups like ISIS targeting critical infrastructure from the power grid to oil and water pipelines.

According to Dell Security, attacks against industrial control systems more than doubled between 2013 and 2014 from about 160 thousand to 675 thousand. Given the unlikelihood that the Iranian government would allow the US to extradite the suspects to the US, the move by the Justice Department is seems as part of a symbolic plan to “name and shame” cyber-attackers. The charges come only months after a landmark deal was negotiated between the US, Iran, and several other nations over Iran’s nuclear program, which led to the removal of economic sanctions that crippled the country for decades.

What do we know about the involvement of the Iranian government in the attacks? What will the charges mean for the recent thaw in relations between the US and Iran? What kinds of infrastructure are considered critical? What kind of damage could be inflicted by breaches of these systems? Just how close are terrorists to causing what has been described as a “cyber-Pearl Harbor”?  And how prepared is the US to detect and recover from these smart grid infiltrations?

Guests:

Jason Healey,  Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council  

Kim Zetter,  Senior staff writer, "Wired";  Author, "Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World's First Digital Weapon"

The OED is looking to expand on its current list of 150 California-originated words.; Credit: Dan via Flickr

The Oxford English Dictionary is looking to expand on its current list of 150 California-originated words. Submissions could be words that are used locally, words that were coined In Southern California and have gained popularity across the nation, or, they can also be a common word that has taken on a new meaning. Zinfandel, West Coast and Cal-Mex are a few examples of words that have deep roots in California.

Here’s a short list of some of the best suggestions from AirTalk listeners:

Shamanacon: noun. a shaman that is a con man

Chipster: noun. a Chicano hipster

Greenlight: verb. to give permission to produce a story as in “greenlight that project”

Carmageddon: noun. a situation where a major freeway project slows down city traffic

June Gloom: noun. term  referring to overcast skies and cool temperatures in Southern California in the month of June

Imagineer: verb. a blend of imagination and engineering courtesy of Disney’s design and development wing

Looky-loos: noun. the California version of the phrase “rubber-necking” or slowing down one’s car and therefore, traffic to see an accident

Bodacious/Abalicious: adjective. very attractive physical looks/very attractive, chiseled abdominal muscles

Brah: noun. a male friend

Hollyweird: noun/adjective. a term referring to the strange people who flock to Hollywood

Sneak-cretive: adjective. a combination of sneaky and secretive behavior

Got a good suggestion? Click here to submit your word to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Help us build a #SoCal supplement to the #OED! Submit your favorite words at https://t.co/HVOSz9KVfVpic.twitter.com/9jYOC8L70F

— Library Foundation (@LibraryFoundLA) March 21, 2016

Guest:

Ken Brecher, president of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles

Canned tomatoes line the shelves of a pantry at the SF-Marin Food Bank on May 1, 2014 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

(Ellen Knickmeyer | AP) California plans to delay state-required warnings on metal cans lined with the chemical BPA, arguing too-specific warnings could scare stores and shoppers in poor neighborhoods away from some of the only fruits and vegetables available — canned ones, officials said Thursday.

Instead, the state on May 11 will require stores to post general warnings at checkout counters about the dangers of BPA and note that some canned and bottled products being sold have liners with the toxic chemical.The decision and rationale of the California Environmental Protection Agency are angering some community and public-health groups.

Read the full storyhere.

Guests:

Allan Hirsch, chief deputy director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the state agency that monitors and evaluates risks posed to public health by hazardous substances

Michael Green, founder and executive director of the Center for Environmental Health, an Oakland-based organization championing Proposition 65

The James Beard Foundation brings together recipes and stories from their best-loved local restaurants across the country in “James Beard’s All-American Eats” (Rizzoli; 2016). ; Credit: Michael Stern via Flickr

The great James Beard once said, “I don’t like gourmet cooking or ‘this’ cooking or ‘that’ cooking. I like good cooking.”

To celebrate better-than-good American cuisine, the James Beard Foundation brings together recipes and stories from their best-loved local restaurants across the country in “James Beard’s All-American Eats” (Rizzoli; 2016). 

Naturally that includes crabcakes with remoulade from Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami. If you can’t drive to Langer’s Deli for cabbage soup, this compendium has the recipe. What are your beloved meals from great American locals?

Guest:

Alison Tozzi Liu, Editorial Director of the James Beard Foundation

The updated vision plan which would reestablish a connection between the residential neighborhoods north of the freeway and the downtown core through a cap park.; Credit: Glendale CDD

This week Glendale City Council requested a $300,000 study to look into the cost and impact of building a so-called “cap park” over a portion of the Ventura Freeway.

The park would serve as a connector between the north and south sides of the city and is seen by supporters as both a public safety improvement and an increase in vibrant green space with plans to include walking trains, a concert space, and a children’s play area.

City staffers have suggested that the first phase of construction may span over the 134 Freeway between Central Avenue and Brand Boulevard and then extend to Geneva Street. Though a final design may be years away, the first phase of the project would bring the total area of the park to about 4 or 5 acres.

Residents polled were found to have broad support for the project, which has been modeled after similar parks constructed above recessed roadways in Phoenix, Dallas, Sacramento and Seattle. Some residents, however, have expressed concerns about how money would be generated to fund the project. In Los Angeles, a similar proposal for a park over the 101 Freeway from Hollywood Boulevard  to Santa Monica Boulevard is currently under environmental review.

Guests:

Laura Friedman, Glendale City Councilmember and former Mayor of Glendale from 2011-2012

Eric Jay Toll, reporter covering the economy, infrastructure and transportation for the Phoenix Business Journal who's been following the project over the years

Home healthcare workers join fast food workers and their supporter at a rally and march to demand an increase of the minimum wage to 15USD per hour, in Los Angeles on December 4, 2014.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

(AP) California legislators and labor unions have reached a tentative agreement that will take the state's minimum wage from $10 to $15 an hour, a state senator said, a move that would make for the largest statewide minimum in the nation by far.

The Los Angeles Times, which first reported the deal, said the wage would rise to $10.50 in 2017, to $11 an hour in 2018, and one dollar per year to take it to $15 by 2022. Businesses with fewer than 25 employees would have an extra year to comply.

Read the full story here.

Guests:

Dave Regan, President of SEIU United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), a union that represents more than 150,000 healthcare workers in California; vice president national Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Jake Mangas, president/CEO of Redding Chamber of Commerce

Bill DuBois, member of the governmental affairs committee for the El Centro Chamber of Commerce and a former president of the El Centro Chamber

"The Good Death" by Ann Neumann; Credit: Beacon Press

Death is a certainty, but as author Ann Neumann finds, medical technologies have changed what dying means.

In her new book, “The Good Death,” Neumann sets out to understand what dying looks like, and what a “good death” means today. Her journey was sparked by a personal tragedy. Neumann’s father was diagnosed with lymphoma, and she left her job to care for him full-time.

After his passing, she volunteered as a hospice volunteer, talked to advocates working to legalize assisted suicide in the country, and attended meetings with those who are opposed to the idea.

Ann Neumann will be talking about her new book, "The Good Death” tomorrow, March 29, at 12:00 p.m. at an event at the University of Southern California. For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Guest:

Ann Neumann, author of “The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America” (Beacon Press, 2016) and a visiting scholar at the Center for Religion and Media at New York University, where she is a contributing editor to the Revealer; Ann tweets from @otherspoon

Supporters cheer as Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) arrives to speak at a campaign rally at the Alliant Energy Center on March 26, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin.; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

It’s a question of math vs. momentum at this point for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

The Vermont Senator snatched up victories in Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington State over the weekend, giving him and his supporters more momentum, but ultimately didn't make much of a dent in Hillary Clinton's lead. 

Also, a new poll from the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Times shows that while Donald Trump leads among California Republicans, at least a quarter of them wouldn't support Trump if he were to win the Republican nomination. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders.

Today on AirTalk, we'll go over the new poll and hear from political experts on what to expect from the week to come in politics.

Guests:

Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC and adjunct faculty at USC Annenberg School

Lynn Vavreck, professor of political science at UCLA; she tweets from @Vavreck

Zack Courser, research director of the Dreier Roundtable and visiting assistant professor of government at Claremont McKenna College; he tweets from @ZCourser

Covered CA is threatening to drop low performing hospitals from its network.; Credit: Adam Berry/Getty Images

(NPR) California's insurance exchange is threatening to cut hospitals from its networks for poor performance or high costs, a novel proposal that is drawing heavy fire from medical providers and insurers.

The goal is to boost the overall quality of patient care and make coverage more affordable, said Peter Lee, executive director of the Covered California exchange.

Read full story here.

Guests:

Gerald Kominski,  Professor of Health Policy and Management and Director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Yevgeniy Feyman, fellow and deputy director of the Manhattan Institute’s Center for Medical Progress

A woman is distracted by her cellphone while walking.; Credit: Jorge Gonzalez/Flickr

We’ve all seen this person walking down the street, head buried in a smartphone screen, headphones firmly inserted into ears, and paying exactly zero attention to the rest of the world.

A New Jersey lawmaker has proposed a bill that, if passed, would treat distracted walking the same way jaywalking is treated in the Garden State: a $50 fine, 15 days in jail, or both. Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden/Burlington) says the risks posed by a distracted walker are the same ones jaywalkers pose, so they should be treated similarly. Other states have proposed similar laws but thus far, none have passed.

The Governors Highway Safety Association released a report earlier this month showing pedestrian deaths went up ten percent in 2015 despite a 4 percent decrease in overall traffic deaths.

A decade ago, Alon Ziv sought out to prove that America’s interracial boom would not only occur, it would produce a healthier population. ; Credit: Javcon117* via Flickr

A decade ago, Alon Ziv sought out to prove that America’s interracial boom would not only occur, it would produce a healthier population.

It's now 2016 and his predictions have been confirmed; the nation is increasingly more ethnically diverse. “Breeding Between the Lines,” uses scientific evidence, world history and popular culture to support Ziv’s theory that the offspring of multiracial parents will develop to have physical and mental advantages. Athleticism, fertility and disease resistance are all traits associated with being interracial.

How will multiracial people be viewed? Will their traits be envied or required for survival?

Guest:

Alon Ziv, author of “Breeding Between the Lines: Why Interracial People are Healthier and More Attractive” (Barricade Books Inc., 2016)

The official seal of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is seen on an iPhone's camera screen outside the J. Edgar Hoover headquarters February 23, 2016 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The case pitting Apple against the FBI in court is now effectively over after the Feds announced yesterday that they were able to break into the phone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook without Apple’s help.

In a three sentence filing, the FBI said that it no longer required Apple to build a backdoor into its iOS operating system because they’d accessed it another way.

The filing did not, however, detail exactly how the FBI was able to access the iPhone. Some are speculating that an Israeli company called Cellebrite may have been the ones, but neither the company nor the U.S. government have confirmed a relationship.

Whether the government will ever tell Apple or the rest of us how they hacked the phone remains a mystery and hinges on whether the Feds decide to follow a little-known procedure called an equities review, which was created to determine whether the government should disclose security flaws.

While the court battle may be over, some say the Apple vs. FBI saga is far from finished. There are still concerns about iPhone security and workarounds, data privacy, and future searches.

Guest:

Jason Healey, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, Founding Director of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative of the Atlantic Council, and the former Director of Critical Infrastructure Protection at the White House (2003-2005)

A customer scans the expiration date on gallons of milk sitting on a cooler shelf at a Safeway grocery store in Washington, DC.; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Ever wondered what those 'best if used by' dates on your food actually mean? One California lawmaker says not enough people do, and is proposing legislation he hopes will prevent people from throwing out food just because it's passed its 'best by' date.

Last week, Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) introduced a bill that would limit food manufacturers to one of two options for indicating the expiration dates of food: The “best if used by” label would be used to identify when food is at its best quality and the  “expires on” label would be placed on highly-perishable foods, which would pose a safety risk if consumed after the date indicated.

"The thing about a 'sell by' date is it’s really not meant for consumers to worry about," says Dana Gunders, a staff scientist with the National Resource Defense Council's (NRDC) food and agriculture program. "It’s earlier than a ‘best-by’ or ‘use-by’ date, normally, because it’s telling the grocery store that if you sell the product by this date, the consumer can get it home and have a good shelf life with it."

Gunders says the idea of the bill is to standardize food labeling to eliminate what they see as  the confusion created by the wide variety of arbitrary expiration dates. They argue that commonly used labels such as “best before,” “freshest by” and “sell by,” among a few others are chosen based on a manufacturer's discretion, not federal mandate, and as a result lead many consumers to mistakenly discard edible foods. 

As for whether there will be opposition to the law, Gunders says she can see grocery stores and companies pushing back because it's a state law and they don't want to have to navigate different laws in every state where they operate.

"My response to that is that a federal solution would be wonderful, but we all know how tricky it is to get anything through Congress right now, and California has an ability to set a model for the rest of the nation."

AirTalk reached out to several grocery stores and food manufacturers for their reaction, but none returned our request for comment.

Gunders says regardless of whether the law is passed, we can all do more to prevent food waste by being vigilant about buying what we'll eat and eating what we buy. She says just about anything can be frozen (milk, sliced bread, cheese, fruits and veggies), so make the most out of your freezer.  Also, don't throw out canned food! Gunders says most canned foods can be eaten years after the date on the can without a safety risk. And what about smelling your food for freshness? Gunders says that most of the time, the smell test usually passes the smell test when it comes to deciding whether food is rotten, but that there are still some foods that could deceive you.

You can read the full text of Assemblyman Chiu's bill below:

AB 2725

Guests:

Dana Gunders, staff scientist in the food and agriculture program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a co-sponsor of the bill, and author of “The Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook”

The exterior view of the U.S. Supreme Court is seen June 25, 2007 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

A twist of fate has cost an Orange County schoolteacher her Supreme Court challenge.

Rebecca Friedrichs sued the California Teachers Association over a law that requires public-school teachers to financially contribute to unions in order to subsidize collective bargaining efforts.

Before the recent death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's death, experts were certain Friedrichs would prevail and deal a costly blow to unions across the country. However, today the justices announced they were divided 4-4 - the split vote leaves in place an appeals court ruling that upheld the union fees practice.

What does another 4-4 split decision indicate about the rest of the term and the continued fight over a vacancy on the high court?

Guests:

Kyle Barry, Director of Justice Programs, Alliance for Justice - described as progressive advocates focused on the federal judiciary

Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow in constitutional studies at the libertarian Cato Institute and editor-in-chief of the Cato Supreme Court Review; Shapiro co-authored an amicus brief in Friedrichs; he tweets from @ishapiro

CEO of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Amy Dacey, speaks at a press conference pitching the borough of Brooklyn to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC).; Credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

What are your questions for Amy Dacey, the chief executive officer of the Democratic National Committee?

Larry Mantle will interview Dacey this afternoon.

They will talk about how a competitive presidential primary battle between Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders impacts the Democratic party. Plus the ongoing controversy over how the DNC organized the primary debate schedule;  ideological schisms between Sanders and Clinton supporters; and the power of superdelegates.

Please suggest questions you would like to hear Dacey address in the comment section below.

CEO of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Amy Dacey, speaks at a press conference pitching the borough of Brooklyn to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC).; Credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Amy Dacey is the chief executive officer of the Democratic National Committee. 

She was selected by DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz in 2013. Since she began her position as CEO, Dacey has lead the organization during state primaries and is also involved in finances for the committee. 

During their conversation, Larry Mantle and Dacey discuss how a competitive presidential primary battle between Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders impacts the Democratic party. Plus the ongoing controversy over how the DNC organized the primary debate schedule; ideological schisms between Sanders and Clinton supporters; and the power of superdelegates.

Here are some highlights from their interview:

Come the general election, let’s say Hillary Clinton is the nominee, are you concerned that younger voters have so decisively gone with Bernie Sanders, even younger women; and that it may make it hard to energize those voters to come out and support the Clinton general election candidacy if she’s the nominee?

Amy Dacey: I know that when we get to the general election that everybody’s going to come together. Certainly our candidates are going to come together because they know what’s at stake. And I think, no matter what, the individuals who voted during the primary and primary process will see the strike contrast with Donald Trump, who is the presumptive nominee of the Republican party, and when they see that contrast . . . they’ll want to preserve all the accomplishments that we’ve been able to make under the Obama administration, and look forward to the  other things we’re going to accomplish in the future as well.

What are the fundraising challenges that a political party faces today in the era of the Super PAC, when it can be easy for donors to give large amounts of monies to Super PACs to run independent campaigns on behalf of or against particular candidates? What is the party's come-on to donors versus the PACs?

Dacey: We always would hope to have more resources to do more outreach and a lot of what we’ve done is [become] smarter with the dollars that we get. Certainly at the Democratic party, we work with our partner organizations like the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, to make sure we’re working together, to make sure our resources go farther, and a lot of that is also the partnerships we’re building with the state parties, because we know these decisions are made in the grassroots and on the ground.

A lot of what we’re doing right now in the investments that the donors make are not just to win elections in the short-term, but it’s certainly to build and make sure we have a competitive advantage in the future; and to build long-term programs for party building and to make sure we’re winning races, not just in this important election in 2016. We wanna win races in 2018, in 2020, especially with redistricting, we know what long-term investments make. So for us, it’s really looking at the short and the long-term and taking those resources as far as we can go.

Have you been a bit surprised to see, particularly younger women, express skepticism about Hillary Clinton and embrace Bernie Sanders instead of a woman with this chance to make history?

Dacey: I think the exciting part of this primary is that people are really, on the Democratic side, finding someone to get interested in. And I think both candidates really have shared some of these core values that women and men care about. Whether it’s paid leave for families, whether it’s equal pay or whether it’s making sure they can afford college for their children, and then making sure we protect the 20 million people who are now on health insurance because of ACA, I think a lot of people are looking through the primary process -- looking through to decide who their candidate is. But the good news is, that both of those candidates can represent them in a general election. 

Hawaii Congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard, resigned as the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders. She had been critical of the debate schedule and gave the impression that she felt the DNC wasn’t playing fair. What’s your response to her decision and where she came from on this whole dispute with the DNC?

Dacey: I think she knew there was a neutrality for the officers and sometimes you feel very strongly about a candidate and want to support them through this primary and caucus. I respect the fact that she thought the best that she could do was to resign and go and work with the Sanders campaign. And I saw her recently at one of our debates and we both commented that we’re looking forward to working together in the general election.

Angie writes on the AirTalk page, “With all of the problems and voter suppressing incidents that have occurred in Arizona, would it be best to look into a re-vote? Perhaps an absentee voting campaign is an order?” Angie's referring to the fact that so many of the precincts had been closed in Arizona's primary. There were very long waits for people to vote and a lot of concerns that people who intended to vote in the Democratic primary didn’t get a chance to do so. Your response to those problems?

Dacey: I think that just shows how important our voter protection program is at the DNC. That was a state-run primary. And when you see sometimes that when Republicans are making decisions . . . sometimes they make decisions to make it harder to vote. That’s why this election is so important. We have to elect Democrats up and down the ticket. We have to make sure that they're making decisions to make it easier and more accessible for people to vote, and then you won’t have issues like you saw in Arizona. 

Note: This interview has been edited for clarity

Guest:

Amy Dacey, CEO of the Democratic National Committee

US actor Don Cheadle poses as he visits, on December 11, 2009 at the the Cité de la Musique in Paris, the "We Want Miles" exhibition spanning American legendary trumpeter Miles Davis.; Credit: MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images

In his directorial debut, actor Don Cheadle dives deep into the life and music of jazz great Miles Davis.

To illustrate his life, Cheadle focused not on the legacy of Davis’ music, but on a dark period of creative frustration, a story that took 10-years to tell. Cheadle joins Larry Mantle to talk about trumpet practice and carrying out the vision for such a big biopic.

Guest:

Don Cheadle, actor, director, and producer of the new film, "Miles Ahead," about the life of Jazz great, Miles Davis. The film opens in Los Angeles and New York this Friday, April 1

Students walk near Sather Tower on the University of California at Berkeley campus in Berkeley, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

University of California schools are often a top choice for students around the country and the world, as many of the higher-tiered campuses offer top-notch educational opportunities...if you can get in.

But one of the primary purposes of the UC system is to offer an affordable, accessible education to Californians, and a recent audit from the State Auditor’s Office says the UC isn’t doing enough to serve in-state students.

The audit claims the UC system is hurting California residents by admitting too many out-of-state students, and suggests fixes including capping enrollment, raising the bar for admitting out-of-state students, and recruiting more people from here in California, especially underrepresented minorities. Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gipson called for the audit over a year ago and says he’s upset with the findings.

The UC responded with a report of its own, calling the state auditor’s assertions “false and misleading” and saying that the UC has always stuck to the Master Plan for Higher Education. President Janet Napolitano has said the results are “unfair and unwarranted” and “disappointingly pre-baked.”

Report: UC decisions have put California resident students at a disadvantage

Guests:

Mike Gipson (D-Carson), California Assemblyman representing the 64th District, which includes Compton, Carson, and Willowbrook

Steve Montiel, Press Secretary, UC Office of the President

Westfield introduces world first Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headsets ahead of 'Future Fashion' an immersive pop-up experience.; Credit: Tim P. Whitby

Reviews are in for the much-anticipated virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift, as it ships out to consumers this week.

Time magazine's tech reporter, Lisa Eadicicco, calls the technology pricey ($600, plus the cost of a high-end computer), complicated, and wonderful. The content is primarily gaming, but also includes short films.

It has been four years since Oculus founder Palmer Luckey kick-started interest in VR with the introduction of a clunky headset he crafted from smartphone parts. The latest headset is sleek and immersive, including three-dimensional audio.

The Facebook-owned company will soon face competition from similar headsets, the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR.

Are you an early adopter of new technology keen to get a headset? If not, what skepticism do you have of VR entertainment?

With files from the Associated Press.

Guest:

Lisa Eadicicco, Tech Writer for TIME magazine who has used the new Rift VR headset from Oculus; she tweets from @LisaEadicicco

Director Johanna Schwartz poses during the Filmmaker Afternoon Tea at the BFI London Film Festival at The Mayfair Hotel in London, England.; Credit: John Phillips

An intense new documentary takes viewers inside the war for Mali's culture and land - a west African country renowned for its powerful music and the compelling artists who create it.

"They Will Have to Kill Us First" has as much rhythm and heart as an Ali Farka Touré album.

Music is the beating heart of Malian culture, but when Islamic jihadists took control of northern Mali in 2012, they enforced one of the harshest interpretations of sharia law by banning all forms of music.

Radio stations were destroyed, instruments burned, and Mali’s musicians faced torture, even death. Overnight, the country’s revered musicians were forced into hiding or exile, where most remain -- even now. But rather than laying down their instruments, these courageous artists fought back, standing up for their freedoms and using music as a weapon against the ongoing violence that has ravaged their homeland.

The film takes you through the recent fighting and the struggles the artists reckon with as creators, Muslims, and Malians.

Guest:

Johanna Schwartz, Filmmaker, “They Will Have to Kill Us First”