WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Diane Rehm Show Podcast

Over the past century, average global temperatures have increased by 1.3 degrees. Higher temperatures have been linked to rising carbon emissions. Scientists warn of devastating effects if the earth warms by another two degrees. As Washington faces another debt showdown, support is rising for a carbon tax as a free-market solution to climate change. And California's new law puts a cap on carbon emissions. But opponents argue these policies kill jobs and burden low-income consumers. For this month's Environmental Outlook: the economics and politics of reducing carbon emissions.

President Barack Obama picks former Sen. Chuck Hagel for defense secretary and John Brennan as CIA director. Diane and her guests discuss battles ahead as the president seeks to build his second-term team.

Nearly three million viewers have seen Dr. Robert Lustig's YouTube video "Sugar: The Bitter Truth." In a new book, he documents the science and politics behind the obesity pandemic and calls for an overhaul of the global food system.

The White House and Democratic lawmakers have vowed to introduce gun control legislation. A month after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a panel joins Diane to discuss prospective new actions and whether the momentum for change is slipping.

Inventor, futurist and author Ray Kurzweil has long predicted humans will one day be able to transcend the limitations of their biology. In a new book, Kurzweil explains why that day is coming sooner than we might think. He argues that the expansion of the brain's neocortex was the last biological evolution man needed to make. That's because it is inevitably leading to "truly intelligent machines," which Kurzweil calls the last invention that humanity needs to make. Join Diane and Ray Kurzweil for a discussion on prospects for attaining immortality through technology.

India's top law enforcement official vowed to crack down on crimes against women with "an iron hand" following the fatal gang rape of a young woman on a bus in New Dehli last month. Five alleged perpetrators face charges of murder. An American drone strike killed a top militant leader in Pakistan. U.S. troops under NATO command have arrived in Turkey to man a Patriot missile defense system near the Syrian border. The conflict in Syria is now said to have taken the lives of at least 60,000 people. The Pentagon considers how many U.S. troops should stay in Afghanistan after 2014. Please join us to talk about these and other top international news stories on the Friday News Roundup

The 113th Congress has been sworn in and it's the most diverse in history. It includes the first Hindu in the Senate, and the first openly bisexual woman in the House. Republican Congressman John Boehner is re-elected House Speaker despite some opposition in his own party. A deal is reached on the fiscal cliff but big battles still loom on the debt and government spending. The economy added 155,000 jobs in December. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she'll return to work next week after being hospitalized for a blood clot. And Al Jazeera buys Current TV from Al Gore.David Corn of Mother Jones magazine, Jeanne Cummings of Bloomberg News and syndicated columnist Michael Gerson join guest host Tom Gjelten to discuss the week's top national stories.

For many people, the holiday season and new year is a time to reflect on their well-being. We ask ourselves how happy we have been, and how we can find more happiness in the months to come. The answers seem straightforward: make more money, lose those extra pounds, find love, start a family. While these things may bring happiness for a time, chances are it will be fleeting. That's according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist and expert in the science of happiness. In her new book, she says what should make us happy doesn't, but what shouldn't make us happy does. She joins us to talk about "The Myths of Happiness."

The last-minute deal between Congress and the White House prevented the drastic spending cuts and tax increases known as the "fiscal cliff" from taking effect this week. But it also set the stage for even fiercer battles over spending and debt in the months ahead. The automatic spending cuts have been postponed for two months. That's about the same time as the government's legal authority to borrow money expires. The federal debt ceiling will need to be raised to avoid default. And in March, the budget resolution that funds the government expires. what's up next for the nation's finances, and what that could mean for you. Jared Bernstein from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, David Wessel of the Wall Street Journal and Chris Edwards from the Cato Unstitute join guest host Susan Page to discuss the nation's short- and long-term spending and debt challenges.

It's that time of year again when millions of Americans vow to create good habits and break bad ones. The psychologist behind PsyBlog explains why it is so difficult to modify our behavior — and to stick with the change.

Congress passed new tax and spending legislation late last night to avert the fiscal cliff. Analysis of new law and prospects for compromise on other key issues including gun control, immigration and U.S. energy policy.

Diane talks with legendary entertainer, Andy Williams, about his seven decades in show business, his Emmy-winning variety show, and performing live at the age of 82.

F. Murray Abraham won an Oscar for his leading role in the 1984 film "Amadeus." The classically trained actor joins Diane to talk about his four decades of performing on the big screen, small screen and live on stage.

Laurie Rubin was born blind, unable to see anything except white light. But that did not stop her from learning to ski, studying at Yale University, handcrafting jewelry and enjoying a successful career in opera. She is also the author of a new memoir and CD, both titled "Do You Dream In Color?" She answers that question when she joins Diane in studio to discuss how she and her family refused to let her disability define her.

Geraldine Brooks is no stranger to war zones. The journalist-turned-author once covered Bosnia and the Middle East for The Wall Street Journal. And Brooks' understanding of human suffering is evident in her first novel. In it, she spins a real-life horror story into a tale of fragile hope. "Year of Wonders" fictionalizes the true account of villagers in seventeenth-century Eyam, England. They voluntarily quarantined their plague-infested town to prevent the disease from spreading. Brooks' storyteller is a young maid who aids the village rector in his mission to contain the plague. Join Diane and her guests for our October Readers' Review of Geraldine Brooks' novel, "Year of Wonders."