To the Point

Afghan Tension over Newsweek's Koran Report

The US State Department has redoubled diplomatic efforts to spread the word abroad that America stands for respect of all religious faiths. The move comes in response to a recent Newsweek report, since retracted, that US interrogators at Guant-namo Naval Base defiled a detainee's copy of the Koran, the Muslim holy book. Former cricket player Imran Khan, now a rival politician to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, announced the alleged incident, as it was reported in Newsweek, word spread around the Muslim world and the outrage rapidly grew into violent riots where people lost their lives. Was the Newsweek report just the tip of the iceberg? Has it seriously damaged our relations with Muslims all around the world? Diana Nyad guest hosts. Making News: Debate Opens on Federal Judicial Nominees There's plenty of heat on the Senate floor today as the highly anticipated showdown over new federal judicial nominations revs into high gear. Though minority Democrats can opt to filibuster to keep these nominees from appointment, majority Republicans are proposing a change in the Senate rules to do away with the filibuster in the cases of judicial nominees. Maura Reynolds is White House correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. Reporter's Notebook: On Being the Mayor of Los Angeles Four years ago, Antonio Villaraigosa lost the Los Angeles mayoral race to James Hahn. Yesterday, the rematch ended differently. Councilman Villaraigosa, who went into election day as a ten-point favorite, beat incumbent Mayor Hahn by a sizeable 59% to 41% margin. California State Librarian emeritus Kevin Starr has more on Villaraigosa's victory and what it might mean for Latinos and Angelinos alike.