From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Is the Arab Spring falling back?

I'm Mike Peska, sitting in for Warren only, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans care about

most. Unrest, worse than unrest, deadly riots popping up throughout the Arab world. The proximate cause

is said to be a farcically inept but highly charged film portraying the Prophet Muhammad as a sort

of evil dunce. Perhaps this really is the YouTube clip that launched a thousand protests,

or is the tumult an indication of a wider frustration?

Today we'll discuss who's behind the riots and how the U.S. government should respond.

On reporter's notebook later on, disarray in the Romney campaign.

We'll talk with our regular red state and blue state commentators. First,

here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio International Program Fund.

I'm Mike Peska, sitting in for Warren Only back with To the Point. Days of

anti-American violence have swept through all corners of the Muslim world. An inept film set off

the rioting. But what's really behind it? Can this spate of violence be seen as a reliable

indicator of the overall state of affairs in countries like Egypt, Libya, Tunisia.

And our reporter's notebook, it's Red State Blue State, a presidential campaign update

from the far-flung provinces of Dallas and San Francisco.

First, this news update.

26,000 teachers are close to coming back to work in Chicago, we've been told.

Negotiations are on hold today for the Jewish New Year, but word is that the strike may end soon with the fine details soon to be hammered out. Joining me now is Becky VV. I hope I'm saying your last name, right, Becky. She's the education reporter for WBEZ in Chicago. Hello. Hi, how are you? VV. Yes, VV.

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