- Social:
STAT News
Infectious diseases and public health reporter for STAT News which covers health and medicine
PROFILE
Helen Branswell
Guest
FROM Helen Branswell
To the Point
The Zika Virus: The Knowns…and the Unknowns The World Health Organization says, "alarm is high." But so is "uncertainty." In the next year, the Zika virus might infect three to four million people. But nobody knows for sure if the mosquito-borne illness really is responsible for birth defects in South American babies. Women there are being warned about pregnancy, and the WHO today called an emergency . US health officials say an outbreak here is unlikely. We hear from Brazil, where fear is on the rise, and get the latest on controlling mosquitos.
Recommended
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
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
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
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?