The Diplomat
Ankit Panda is a senior editor at online magazine The Diplomat, where he covers international security, political economy and geo-politics in the Asia-Pacific region, and the host of its Asia Geopolitics Podcast.
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Ankit Panda
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FROM Ankit Panda
To the Point
Why is North Korea threatening Guam? The latest threat from North Korea includes precise details, including the intended trajectory, of four missiles. They're said to be aimed at the waters near America's territory of Guam -- to teach President Trump a lesson. Ankit Panda, senior editor at The Diplomat , which covers the Asia-Pacific Region, says Kim is daring the US and Japan to shoot the missiles down, to afford him information on how the two countries would respond.
To the Point
Is America's "pivot to Asia" a thing of the past? So many of his Department's top jobs are still unfilled that Rex Tillerson seems like a lonely Secretary of State, and as a diplomat, he's an amateur. His trip to Asia — just one reporter included — was full of contradictions, with tweets from the President adding to the confusion. It's not clear if he threatened North Korea, advocated nuclear weapons for Japan and South Korea--or if he'll seek common ground with China. And there's another big question: how much is the Trump White House running the show?
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To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
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.
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.
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.