Newsweek
Contributing editor at Newsweek and author of several books, including The Rift: The Future of Africa, which will be released later this year; former Africa Bureau Chief for Time magazine
PROFILE
Alex Perry
Guest
FROM Alex Perry
To the Point
Obamamania and Africa's Future President Obama got a hero's welcome in Kenya , and his message of tough love was well received in the land where his father was born. Yet, there's evidence that he failed to meet expectations of closer ties created by his election six years ago. His broader theme of a "crossroads between terrorism and economic potential" applies to East Africa as a whole. Can the US help maintain civic order and help American investors catch up with China?
To the Point
How Humanitarian Aid and Good Intentions Failed South Sudan After 50 years of civil war, South Sudan gained freedom from its northern neighbor just two and a half years ago. Now it has collapsed into ghastly violence and mass displacement, with likely future of epidemic disease and famine. Did outsiders with the best of intentions help create a humanitarian disaster? For the tribal leaders of South Sudan, freedom from North Sudan meant the freedom to kill each other. That’s according to Alex Perry, contributing editor to Newsweek magazine. His cover story for Newsweek Europe is titled, “ George Clooney, South Sudan and How the World’s Newest Nation Imploded ".
To the Point
African Union Appears Split over Zimbabwe The world has been waiting to see how Robert Mugabe would be received at the African Union summit in Sharm Al-Sheik, Egypt. Kenya's Prime Minister has called the Zimbabwean President's blood-stained re-election a shame and embarrassment to the continent of Africa. The President of Sierra Leone has told the BBC that "the people of Zimbabwe have been denied their democratic rights" and that what has happened should be condemned. But at the summit , no such public action has taken place. Alex Perry is Africa bureau chief for Time magazine.
To the Point
How Will the World Respond to Mugabe's Re-Election? Zimbabwe, which used to be called "the breadbasket of Africa," is now an economic basket case, with half the people depending on food aid and inflation pegged at nine million percent. After weeks of bloody political violence and political opposition, the UN Security Council will debate Robert Mugabe's re-election, despite his already having been sworn in. Mugabe is now in Egypt for a summit of the African Union, which may, or may not, play a crucial role in restoring stability to his devastated country. Is there any chance for political reconciliation? Will the opposition try to set up a government in exile? Can international intervention avert an extended bloodbath?
Recommended
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
Left, Right & Center
The week that wouldn't quit Will next week get even weirder? (Special one-hour episode)
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.