Emmy Burrus

The situation may well get worse if the shutdown continues and employees start to miss paychecks. And there is no way to predict what airports might have problems on any given day.

Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 at 11:30 p.m. on KPBS TV. As allies condemn Israel and recognize Palestine, Israel's war in Gaza is testing its economy and diplomacy. Ian Bremmer speaks with veteran Middle East diplomat Aaron David Miller about Trump's peace plan and Israel's increasingly lonely road.

Israel is stronger than ever militarily—and more isolated than ever diplomatically. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubles down on the war in Gaza and rejects outside pressure, longtime allies are starting to walk away. Japan, Italy, and France have announced arms embargoes. The EU is proposing partial trade sanctions. Even Netanyahu himself admits Israel is entering a “kind of isolation” that could last for years. His solution? Turn Israel into a “super-Sparta”—a self-reliant, hyper-militarized economy capable of standing alone. In the latest edition of Ian Explains, Bremmer breaks down whether that’s a viable strategy or just political defiance. With Israel’s economy slowing to its weakest growth rate in decades, global investment pulling back, and international condemnation mounting, the costs are starting to show. And while US support remains strong for now, Trump’s pivot to Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar signals that even Washington’s patience may have limits. Can Israel afford to go it alone? Or will the pressure—economic, political, and strategic—force a shift in course? The coming months may decide just how much isolation Israel can sustain.

As more Western allies move to condemn Israel and recognize Palestine, Israel’s war in Gaza is testing its economy and diplomacy. Ian Bremmer speaks with veteran Middle East diplomat Aaron David Miller about Trump’s peace plan and Israel’s increasingly lonely road.

KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando joined the crew at The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park to fulfill a bucket list item — stepping into the makeup chair, joining the monsters and learning the art of the perfect jump scare.

Alysia Abbott's memoir about growing up in 1970s San Francisco with her gay, single father, has been adapted into a film directed by Andrew Durham and produced by Sofia Coppola.