WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Diane Rehm Show Podcast

Ships and planes from many countries search for clues about the Malaysian jetliner bound for Beijing with 239 passengers aboard. We discuss some of the many unanswered questions for air safety experts and terrorism investigators.

Jim DeMint served in the U.S. Senate from 2005-2013. The South Carolina Republican resigned to become head of the Heritage Foundation. During his years in Congress - which included three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives - DeMint was known as a staunch social and fiscal conservative. A Tea Party favorite, he also became known for his battles with more establishment Republicans. In a new book, DeMint argues that free enterprise, limited government and traditional values are not just conservative ideas. They reflect what America is all about. Guest host Susan Page sits down for a conversation with Jim DeMint.

Ukraine's prime minister is flying to Washington this week to meet with President Obama. Plans for the visit come as the White House warns that Russia will face increasing international pressure if it presses ahead with a referendum to annex Crimea. Some say U.S. and European sanctions, which would freeze the assets and visas of Russian officials, could be a blow to Russia's flagging economy. But others warn Moscow could retaliate by seizing American and European assets or cut exports of natural gas to Europe which heavily relies on Russia for energy. Guest host Susan Page and a panel of experts discuss the West's response to a power struggle between Russia and Ukraine.

The U.S. orders sanctions following Russia's actions in Crimea. Protests in Venezuela mark the anniversary of former President Hugo Chavez's death. And President Barack Obama meets with Israel's prime minister. A panel of journalists join guest host Tom Gjelten for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Political fallout on Capitol Hill over the Ukraine crisis. The White House releases its $4 trillion budget for 2015. And the College Board announces major changes to the SAT. A panel of journalists join guest host Tom Gjelten for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

On Oct. 9, 1996, a boarding school run by Italian nuns in rural Uganda was awakened by shattering glass. Rebels from Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army broke in and abducted 139 girls, some as young as 8 years old. A nun from the school negotiated the release of all but 30 girls, who were then brutalized, ordered to kill and forced to be "wives" to rebel leaders. A new novel about the kidnapping focuses on one of the fictional survivors and an American journalist who bears witness to her stories and recovery.

Congressional Republicans call President Barack Obama's handling of the crisis in Ukraine part of a failed foreign policy. A look at the president's approach to world affairs and American power abroad.

WhatsApp, recently bought by Facebook for $19 billion, allows its users to text at virtually no cost. How consumers worldwide are using mobile apps to communicate for free and what it means for the future of the telecom industry.

In his 2015 budget, President Barack Obama calls for expanding tax breaks for low-income workers. Republicans are pushing welfare reform and an overhaul of social programs. Debate over government efforts to reduce poverty.

Efforts to halt the slaughter of African elephants have been far less successful than many had hoped. An international ban on the elephant ivory trade was put in place in 1989. Elephant populations began to rebound. But ivory traders exploited loopholes and poachers became more efficient - and more brazen - in their methods. Today, poachers kill as many as 35,000 elephants a year. Conservationists warn that unless more is done, those great land mammals could become extinct. For this month's Environmental Outlook, guest host Tom Gjelten and a panel of experts discuss how to stop the elephant ivory trade.

Russians are reportedly demanding that Ukrainian forces in Crimea surrender soon or face armed assault. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is heading to Ukraine's capital to meet with the country's embattled government. Guest host Tom Gjelten and his guests discuss the latest on the situation and how the United States and European Union will respond.

In 2010, a coalition of state governors and education experts developed the "Common Core," a set of uniform guidelines for what American students should know and be able to do by each grade. When the federal government offered incentive grants as part of the stimulus, 45 states and the District of Columbia signed on to adopt the new standards. Now, many of those states are reconsidering their support. Critics say the standards are too rigid and confusing for students and teachers. And 11 states have pulled out of the Common Core testing, which is supposed to begin in 2015. Guest host Tom Gjelten and a panel of experts discuss renewed debate over Common Core standards and testing.

Moscow's foreign minister today vowed Russian troops would remain in Ukraine until the political situation normalizes. Major world powers condemned Russia's occupation over the weekend of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to be in Kiev tomorrow as a show of support for Ukraine's embattled interim government. U.S. and E.U. leaders are discussing sanctions and other options to pressure Russia to withdraw. U.S. officials say military intervention is not one of the options under consideration. Guest host Tom Gjelten and a panel of experts discuss the latest developments.

Rival protesters clash in Ukraine's Crimea region. Ongoing political violence in Venezuela leads to more than 50 deaths. And President Barack Obama warns Afghan President Hamid Karzai time is running out to finalize terms of a U.S. troop withdrawal. A panel of journalists joins guest host Katty Kay for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's 2015 military budget proposal would reduce the army to pre-World War II levels. President Barack Obama calls on Congress to fund infrastructure projects by reforming the nation's tax code. The president discusses the proposal during a private meeting with House Speaker John Boehner, the first time the two have met privately in over a year. In Arizona, Gov. Jan Brewer vetoes a controversial anti-gay bill. In Texas, a federal judge strikes down the state's ban on same-sex marriage. And the FDA proposes changes to nutrition labels. Guest host Katty Kay and her panel of reporters discuss the week in news.