This program 82 of the To The Point! series.

International    (Richard Donin)   The protests that began after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s controversial re-election in June have grown into what some say is the biggest challenge to the government since the 1979 Islamic revolution.   Just this week the government banned all citizens from cooperating with foreign organizations such as the BBC, Voice of America, and various human rights groups, saying these groups were trying to destabilize the government.    Who will prevail, Ahmadinejad or the people of Iran, and what if anything can the world community do?

National:    (Courtney Clark)  On December 25th a suspected Al Qaeda member, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, got on Northwest Airlines flight 253 in Amsterdam and attempted to detonate a bomb during the flight's final descent into Detroit.   British intelligence had been tracking Abdulmutallab for more than a year, and Abdulmutallab’s father had warned U.S. intelligence of his son's radical behavior six weeks prior to the incident.   The U.S. has already announced it will require additional screening for air passengers bound for the U.S. from any of 14 countries, including Algeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.   But will this work?

State:    (Mike Riley)  According to the Cascade Policy Institute (a free market think tank), Measures 66 and 67 could cost Oregon up to 70,000 jobs.   Opponents of the measure say we shouldn't be increasing taxes during a recession and the government hasn’t tightened its belt enough.    Proponents say the tax is only on the wealthiest Oregonians and corporations and that schools and health care services will have to be cut if the tax increases don’t pass. Let’s talk about the key points in these measures.

Local:   (Matt Wingard)   He'’s a former Portland Trailblazer, a financial adviser, and a sometimes basketball and lacrosse coach in Lake Oswego.   He’s Chris Dudley and he's running for Governor.   Can he win the Republican nomination with a lot of financial backing but no political experience?