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

ECB President Mario Draghi unveiled details of a new bond-buying plan aimed at easing the eurozone's debt crisis. The new U.N. and Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, said searching for a solution in the country was like "standing in front of a brick wall." And Secretary Hillary Clinton continued a six-nation trip through the Asia-Pacific region where she faced harsh criticism from China's state media. James Kitfield of National Journal, Elise Labott of CNN and Tom Gjelten of NPR join Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Democrats wrapped up their national convention this week with key speeches by Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren and former President Bill Clinton. Manufacturing and construction spending reports showed continued sluggish growth ahead of the August jobs report. And the Department of Justice approved a New Hampshire voter ID law. Greg Ip of The Economist, Ruth Marcus of The Washington Post and Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi called for intervention in Syria at a summit of non-aligned leaders in Iran. German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in China on Thursday as head of the largest German business delegation ever to visit the country. And human rights activists called for the release of a Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy for burning religious texts. Nadia Bilbassy of the Middle East Broadcasting Center, Mark Thompson of Time magazine and Susan Glasser of Foreign Policy magazine join Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

The Republican National Convention wrapped up in Tampa, Fla., with speeches by GOP candidates Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. A federal court found evidence of discrimination in new Texas voting maps drawn by the state's Republican-controlled legislature. Consumer spending and personal income both rose in July. And astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, died in Cincinnati, Ohio. James Fallows of The Atlantic, Laura Meckler of The Wall Street Journal and syndicated journalist Steve Roberts join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

President Barack Obama warned Syria on Monday that it could face American military intervention if there were signs it was moving chemical weapons for use. U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon announced plans to attend the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran next week. And German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with French President Francois Hollande in Berlin about how to solve the euro zone financial crisis. David Sanger of The New York Times, Michele Kelemen of NPR and Abderrahim Foukara of Al Jazeera join Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Tampa, Fla., Mayor Bob Buckhorn said he was prepared to call off the Republican National Convention next week if Hurricane Isaac threatens public safety. The housing market showed more signs of recovery as home sales rose in July. And U.S. health officials said the West Nile virus outbreak in five states was one of the worst in American history. Naftali Bendavid of The Wall Street Journal, Jeanne Cummings of Bloomberg News and David Chalian of Yahoo! News join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

A helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan killed seven American troops and four Afghans. The U.S. accused Iran of building and training a Syrian militia. The eurozone economy contracted in the second quarter despite German growth. And Ecuador granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange political asylum. Yochi Dreazen of National Journal, Indira Lakshmanan of Bloomberg News and Thom Shanker of The New York Times join guest host Tom Gjelten of NPR for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

A Pennsylvania judge upheld a controversial voter ID law that will go into effect starting this Election Day. Tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants lined up in cities across the country to apply for deportation deferrals allowed by a new federal program. And retail sales in the U.S. rose more than forecast in July, the first gain in four months. Susan Page of USA Today, Major Garrett of National Journal and Lisa Lerer of Bloomberg News join guest host Tom Gjelten of NPR for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

The leaders of more than a dozen countries attended a meeting in Tehran, Iran, aimed at ending the violence in Syria. Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi fired his intelligence chief and other top security officials on Wednesday in response to the killings of 16 soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula. And the murder trial of Bo Xilai's wife, Gu Kailai, concluded in China behind closed doors. Courtney Kube of NBC News, Tom Gjelten of NPR and Nadia Bilbassy of MBC TV join Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama of dismantling federal welfare reform and creating a "culture of dependency." The U.S. economy continued to send mixed signals. And victims of the Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting were remembered at vigils across the United States. Ron Elving of NPR, Nia-Malika Henderson of The Washington Post and John King of CNN join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

The European Central Bank left its main interest rate unchanged, but ECB head Mario Draghi signaled the bank could purchase bonds and lower borrowing costs in the future. The battle for Aleppo raged on as Syrian rebels' handling of pro-government militiamen drew criticism. President Barack Obama announced new sanctions on Iran's energy sector. And India suffered the worst blackout in history, which left 670 million people without power. James Kitfield of National Journal, Susan Glasser of Foreign Policy magazine and David Ignatius of The Washington Post join Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the economy was weaker but took no new steps to help. The House and Senate remained at loggerheads over whether to extend the Bush-era tax cuts. Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney returned from a week-long overseas trip. And Chick-fil-A fans and critics took to the streets following anti-gay marriage comments by the company's president. Greg Ip of The Economist, Julie Hirshfeld Davis of Bloomberg News and Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

The European Central Bank president vowed to "do whatever it takes" to protect the euro. His promise quickly sent global markets soaring. Syrian rebels say government forces continue a ground and air assault on the nation's largest city. The Egyptian president chose an American-educated prime minister, not a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. North Korea introduces its new first lady. The wife of fallen Chinese politician Bo Xilai faces a possible death sentence in the murder of a British businessman. And bells peal across Britain as the Olympic Games get underway. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson of NPR, Warren Strobel of Reuters and Elise Labott of CNN join Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

President Barack Obama spoke out forcefully against gun violence for the first time following the Colorado movie theater shooting. Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney outlined his plans for a more aggressive foreign policy just before he began a weeklong trip to Britain, Israel and Poland. The Senate narrowly passed an extension of Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class, which House Republicans have said they will not accept. Ari Shapiro of NPR, Karen Tumulty of The Washington Post and syndicated columnist Steve Roberts join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

In Syria, rebel leaders kill top military officials in Damascus, a brazen attack against the Assad regime. There is growing concern over the country's chemical weapons stockpiles. A suicide bomber kills five Israeli tourists on a bus in a Bulgarian resort town. Officials have identified the bomber as a member of the Iran backed Hezbollah. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton visits Israel to address the Iranian nuclear threat and Egypt's struggle to transition to democracy. And British government officials grapple with a major security shortfall days before the Olympics begin in London. Diane and guests discuss this week's international news.