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Reuters
Senior correspondent for Reuters, based out of Rio De Janeiro
PROFILE
Paulo Prada
Guest
FROM Paulo Prada
To the Point
Will Rio be Ready? Four weeks until Brazil lights its Olympic cauldron in Rio, and the country is in a shambles. A month ago Rio’s state government declared a “State of Calamity” to access extra funding to pay for the Games. Almost all venues are still under construction. In April, a newly built bike path along Rio’s seashore collapsed, killing two people, on the same day that the Olympic torch was lit in Greece. Drug traffickers are involved in territorial disputes in at least 20 Rio neighborhoods, a crime wave is sweeping the city and body parts recently washed up on the beach where the volleyball competitions will be held. And we haven’t even gotten to the mosquito-born Zika epidemic or Russian athletes banned because of a doping scandal.
To the Point
Brazil’s World Cup Experience: The Take and the Heartache In the semi-finals of this year’s World Cup, Brazil lost to Germany by 7 to 1—a major blow to the host country. But Brazil also proved itself capable of staging a world-class event. After hosting a month-long party, Brazil faces a major hangover as it prepares for the Summer Olympics in just two years time. We’ll look at the economic and political consequences of the World Cup for Brazil and FIFA, soccer’s governing body.
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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
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?
Left, Right & Center
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
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.