WAMU-FM: The Diane Rehm Show: Friday News Roundup Podcast

President Barack Obama is set to announce new guidelines for the National Security Agency. A budget deal moves ahead in Congress. And West Virginia residents grapple with a chemical spill. A panel of journalists join guest host Susan Page for analysis of the week's top domestic news stories.

Al-Qaida takes control of two cities in Iraq. The first shipment of chemical weapons leaves Syria. And former NBA players make a controversial trip to North Korea. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

The December jobs report is being called "weird" and "wacky." While the U.S. economy added just 74,000 jobs last month, the unemployment rate fell as fewer people sought work. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats hit a snag in their plan to extend long-term unemployment benefits. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie apologizes for the actions of his staff who organized a traffic tie-up, apparently as political payback. The White House reacts to harsh criticism of the president and his staff by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. And Liz Cheney abandons her U.S. Senate run in Wyoming. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

Russia arrests dozens after suicide bombings just weeks ahead of the winter Olympics. Fighting in South Sudan escalates while diplomats gather in Ethiopia to press for a cease-fire. Secretary of State John Kerry returns to Israel for Middle East peace talks. Two deadly bombs shake Beirut as factional tensions rise in over the war in Syria. Lebanon and Syria fire on each other in hills used by Syrian rebels and refugees. And the U.S. says an agreement on implementing limits on Iran's nuclear program is almost finalized. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Ukraine accepts Russia's bailout offer. Fighting in Syria escalates ahead of the January peace conference. And the U.S. and Britain evacuate citizens from South Sudan as violence spreads. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Presidential advisers recommend the NSA not be allowed to collect and store Americans' phone data. The Senate approves a two-year budget deal. And outgoing Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke says the stimulus program will gradually end next year. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

After mounting protests, Ukraine's president says he intends to sign a trade agreement with the E.U. World leaders. Thousands of South African citizens pay respects to the late Nelson Mandela. And Time magazine names Pope Francis its "Man of the Year." A panel of journalists joins guest host Susan Page for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

The House voted last night to approve a two-year budget deal. Its passage should reduce the chance of another government shutdown over Christmas break. The measure now moves to the Senate where Democrats have been busy confirming President Barack Obama's backlog of nominees. House Speaker John Boehner criticizes conservative groups for opposing the bipartisan deal, saying they have undermined their credibility. In the wake of its bungled rollout of the Affordable Care Act website, the White House makes some personnel changes. And a look at whether the gun control debate has changed a year after the Newtown shooting. A panel of journalists joins guest host Susan Page for analysis of the week's top domestic news stories.

Nelson Mandela has died at age 95. Former Ukraine presidents back ongoing protests over a rejected E.U. trade pact. And heavy violence rocks the Central African Republic. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Healthcare.gov sees an enrollment jump after repairs are made to the troubled website. Fast food workers across the country protest the federal minimum wage. And the Labor Department releases the November jobs report. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

The U.S. and Afghanistan reached a tentative security agreement. But in a surprise move, Afghan President Karzai declared he would not sign it until the spring. Talks on Iran's nuclear program resumed in Geneva as top Iranian cleric Ayatollah Khamenei warned his negotiators not to give ground. Twin suicide bombings outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut underscore concerns that Lebanon is being drawn into Syria's civil war. China announced it will ease its one-child policy. And the death toll from the typhoon that hit the Philippines surpassed 5,000. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

In a historic shift, the Senate narrowly votes to eliminate the use of the filibuster against nearly all presidential nominations. California becomes the seventh state to reject President Barack Obama's insurance fix for cancelled health care policies. Obama's approval rating sinks to an all-time lows amidst the troubled Affordable Care Act rollout. The Department of Justice reaches a $13 billion settlement with J.P. Morgan, the largest ever between the government and a single company. And the nation remembers President John F. Kennedy on the 50th anniversary of his assassination. A panel of journalists joins Diane to discuss the week in news.

The White House warns Congress that new Iran sanctions could derail nuclear talks. Another top Pakistani militant is killed. And relief workers struggle to get supplies to the Philippines after a devastating typhoon. A panel of journalists joins guest host Susan Page for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Under pressure from the public and his own party, President Barack Obama moved to allow insurers to restore canceled health policies for another year. House Republicans are expected to pass a bill today that the White House warns could dramatically undermine the Affordable Care Act. The White House released disappointingly low numbers of those who have now signed up for health insurance through the law's new websites. The Senate blocks another Obama nominee to the District of Columbia Circuit Court. And Janet Yellen defends Federal Reserve policies during her confirmation hearing. A panel of reporters join guest host Susan Page to discuss the week in news.

A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories, including Edward Snowden's temporary asylum in Russia; Egypt's break up of pro-Morsi sit-ins; and Secretary of State John Kerry's nine-month goal for Mideast peace talks.