To the Point

North Korea has escalated tensions with the US and the United Nations. We look at the provocations and possible options for the US and the UN.  Also, at this morning's press conference, President strongly condemned the killing of election protesters in Iran. On Reporter's Notebook, what the President had to say about the economy and healthcare.

This weekend's deadly violence may have reduced the size of demonstrations on the streets of Tehran, but significant numbers did turn out today to face tear gas and police batons.  We hear the latest and assess international relations in the Middle East and the West, including the US. Also, US air strikes in Afghanistan will be restricted.

Iran's Supreme Leader has dashed any hope of changing the official results of last week's disputed election. We look at the likely consequences from Tehran to Washington, including the possibility of violent confrontations if protests continue. On Reporter's Notebook, we get the reaction of Iranian expatriates and organizers here in the United States. 

President Obama's proposed regulatory reforms are designed to avoid another financial meltdown, but they're already under fire for doing too much -- and for not doing enough. We hear how the debate is shaping up. Also, another massive turnout of anti-government protests in Iran, and a conversation with a veteran journalist who struggles to understand that country.

As Congress debates a new energy bill, the Obama White House releases dramatic new warnings about the increased impact of global warming. We hear about the latest report and the prospects for legislation. Also, the President proposes a financial regulatory overhaul, and continued defiance of the official crackdown today in Iran. We have the latest. 

Demonstrations for and against the government continued today in Iran. We hear about the most serious challenge to the central government since the Islamic revolution in 1979.   Also, South Korea's President is in lockstep with President Obama on North Korea, and Western states are challenging federal authority on education, civil rights, land use and gun control.

President Obama was interrupted many times by applause today in a speech asking the American Medical Association for help in enacting healthcare reform. He included a pitch for the so-called “public option” to compete with private insurance. We get a progress report and the prospects for reducing skyrocketing medical costs. On an extended Reporter's Notebook, the latest on political protest in Iran.

For years, urban planning has been all about growth. But in recent years, with the decline of American manufacturing, a whole new school of thought has emerged. It's all about shrinking, not growing. As more and more metropolitan areas lose populations and healthy tax bases, guest host Sara Terry looks at how are cities coming up with new solutions to control the change, instead of simply trying to cope with it. Also, the UN approves tough sanctions for North Korea, and it's been a big week in sports, on the court, in the field and on the ice.

In Iran, recent weeks have seen a surprisingly hard fought election campaign. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faces a strong challenge from reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who's broken with convention by campaigning with his outspoken wife at his side. Will urban women and youth tip the scales towards Mousavi, or will hardliners and the rural poor help re-elect Ahmadinejad? How will the outcome affect politics in the region and relationships with the West? Also, President Obama calls Green Bay a model for healthcare reform, and evidence emerges about what went wrong for Air France Flight 447 over the Atlantic more than a week ago. Sara Terry guest hosts.

The Taliban, which has moved within sixty miles of Islamabad, has alienated many Pakistanis recently, with videos of the public flogging of a young girl, as well as speeches challenging the democratic principles that are cherished by Pakistanis. Guest host Sara Terry considers whether the military offensive against the Taliban is diverting attention from the need for a new Pakistani-US relationship. Also, the White House appoints a "compensation czar" with authority over executives at companies that receive federal support, and why fighting among Britain's leftist Labor Party could leads to gains for the right.