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University of Florida
Professor of Entomology at the University of Florida, where he runs the Florida Medical Entymology Lab in Vero Beach, the world’s only such institution
PROFILE
Phil Lounibos
Guest
FROM Phil Lounibos
To the Point
A public health scare and congressional inaction For the first time ever, the CDC has issued a travel warning inside the United States, as the Zika virus has broken out in Miami, and some public health experts are warning of an epidemic. Anxiety is growing among pregnant women at risk of giving birth to babies with deformed skulls and brains. Mosquitos that carry the virus don't travel far, but insecticide spraying will have limited value because Zika is also sexually transmitted. A possible vaccine is being developed, but money is running out, and Congress has failed to resolve political differences and appropriate $33 million in funds.
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.
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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
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
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.