WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Diane Rehm Show Podcast

On Sept. 11, 2012, the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, was attacked. Four Americans died, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. In the days and months following the deadly attack, the Obama administration has been criticized by Republicans for its handling of the tragedy. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration for Secretary of State, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before Congress. But Republicans have continued to press the issue, saying the White House misled the American people. The administration denies any wrongdoing. Diane and guests discuss the ongoing controversy over the Benghazi tragedy.

In 1960, Edna O'Brien published "The Country Girl," her first novel. Considered scandalous at the time, the book was burned by priests throughout her native Ireland. Undeterred, she spent the next 50 years creating a body of work that stands among the best writing of the 20th century. Diane talks with Edna O'Brien about her often lonely life and the work that sustained her.

The stock market, consumer spending, housing prices and better-than-expected job numbers: taking the pulse of the U.S. economy.

A new report indicates sexual assault cases in the military increased more than 30 percent in two years. Diane and guests discuss pressures on the Pentagon to prosecute offenders and prevent future crimes.

The U.S. and Russia lay the groundwork for Syrian diplomacy. A political kidnapping in Pakistan ahead of elections. And another garment industry tragedy occurs in Bangladesh. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

President Barack Obama traveled to Austin, Texas, yesterday to spotlight manufacturing success stories there. He blamed Congress for hampering the economy by blocking his jobs proposals. Boston police officials told a House committee the FBI never informed them that Russia was concerned about the bombing suspect's older brother. A former high-ranking State Department official gave emotional testimony to a House hearing on the Benghazi tragedy. Republican senators pushed for hundreds of border security amendments to the proposed immigration bill. And officials said they might seek the death penalty for the suspect in the kidnapping of three Cleveland women. A panel of journalists joins Diane for a discussion of the week's top national stories.

Digital technology networks like Facebook, Twitter and Google are estimated to be worth billions of dollars. Yet these ventures employ vastly fewer people than the big companies of the past. Jaron Lanier is a computer scientist who helped create Silicon Valley start-ups that are now part of these companies. But he argues these digital networks enrich relatively few people and do not enlarge the overall economy. In his new book, "Who Owns the Future?," Lanier lays out his vision for how the middle class could benefit more from the new information economy.

A new report indicates sexual assault cases in the military increased more than 30 percent in two years. Diane and guests discuss pressures on the Pentagon to prosecute offenders and prevent future crimes.

Maya Angelou is one of the most distinguished poets, authors and playwrights of our time. Born in Saint Louis, Angelou's parents had a difficult marriage and separated after just a few years. She and her brother were sent away to be raised by their grandmother in Arkansas. At 13, she was sent back to live with her mother, Vivian Baxter, who ran a gambling business in San Francisco. In a new memoir, Angelou writes for the first time about the fraught relationship she had with her mother after their reunion. It's a story of forgiveness, healing and reconciliation.

New research suggests the college-for-all approach needs revision. Understanding who benefits from college and why.

Scientists are warning farmers and homeowners to gear up for battle with the invasive insect known as the brown marmorated stink bug. The number of adult bugs overwintering increased 60 percent in late 2012, and now they're emerging to lay eggs. The shield-shaped, brown speckled insect probably arrived as a stowaway on a ship from Asia. First seen in Pennsylvania in the 1990s, it's since been spotted in 40 states. Stink bugs get their name from the pungent smell emitted when they are frightened or crushed. For this month's Environmental Outlook, entomologists reveal the secrets of stinkbugs and talk about the search for sustainable methods of control.

The surviving Boston bombing suspect told investigators he and his brother learned to build bombs from online sources. Terrorism in the digital age.

The World Bank says 20 of the most troubled countries are making progress. Poverty has been reduced, more girls are being educated and fewer women are dying in childbirth. The good news came in a new report on the so-called Millennium Development Goal. But when looking at the world's poorest nations, much of the news remains discouraging. And with the U.S. and Europe still trying to recover from their own economic troubles, resources for the world's poor are even more strained. But the World Bank's president believes it's possible to end extreme poverty. A conversation with Jim Yong Kim.

In his 2012 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama claimed America is sitting on a supply of natural gas that could last nearly a century. Those who support hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — to extract that natural gas from shale say it could make the U.S energy independent. Others worry about what the prospect of excessive development from drilling could mean for their local communities. Most everyone agrees that fracking needs some level of regulation, but questions remain about how much regulation is too much and what controls are realistic. The ongoing debate over fracking and its impact on U.S. energy prices.

An estimated 2.5 million people work as in-home health and personal aides for the elderly and disabled in this country. Tasks include helping with meals and bathing, light cleaning and companionship. These services can allow an elderly person to postpone or avoid costlier nursing home care. As baby boomers age, demand for this kind of care is projected to rise significantly. But in many states, in-home health care providers earn less than minimum wage and are not entitled to overtime. What the shortage of caregivers means for patients, their families and the home health care industry.