WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Diane Rehm Show Podcast

President Barack Obama takes his State of the Union message on the road. The House approves the Farm Bill. And the Fed continues its stimulus cut as Ben Bernanke's term ends. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

Most federal workplace laws date back to the 1930s when a majority of mothers did not work outside the home. As family and work patterns have shifted, the need for paid time off to care for family members has increased. In the absence of federal paid leave, a few states have passed laws that allow employees to take paid leave to care for a newborn, adopted child or seriously ill relative. Rhode Island, California and New Jersey allow workers to pay part of their wages into a fund that pays for the leave. Diane and a panel of guests discuss the impact of paid leave on businesses and families.

This week, consumers who are both fashion conscious and technologically savvy — and wear glasses — got welcome news: Google Glass will now be available for prescription lenses. These glasses, which allow people to shoot video and check email, are on the leading edge of so called "wearable technology." The new trend includes everything from smart watches to bracelets that monitor fitness. What could be done on our smart phones can be accomplished from smaller and smaller gadgets. But whether consumers are convinced to buy might have less to do with functionality and more to do with personal style. Diane and her panel of guests discuss new trends in wearable technology.

Nancy Horan's novels shed light on those often ignored by history: the lives of famous men. In her latest work, Horan recounts the improbable love affair between Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and his American wife, Fanny Osbourne. On their own, these two characters fascinate and entertain. Together, they demonstrate a deep and complicated love challenged by convention, geography and illness.

President Obama put Congress on notice last night. He made it clear in his fifth State of the Union address that he's willing to act when lawmakers do not. The president announced a series of executive orders that would bypass the need for congressional approval. They include raising the minimum wage for future federal contracts, improving job training skills, and technology in schools. One area that could remain open for bi-partisan cooperation: immigration reform. House speaker John Boehner said yesterday that Republican leaders will outline their ideas for overhauling u-s immigration laws this week. Diane and her guests offer analysis of the state of the union address.

Angelique Kidjo is a Grammy Award-winning musician who grew up in the West African nation of Benin. Her unusually progressive father bucked tradition to ensure she received an education and pursued her musical talents. She was a rising star in Benin when the repressive regime then in power led her to flee to Paris, where her career took off. She eventually migrated to New York. All along, she has stayed faithful to her African roots. In 2010, her "Sound of the Drum" concert at Carnegie Hall played to a sold-out audience. She begins 2014 with a just-published memoir and a new album, "Eve." Angelique Kidjo on her journey from Benin to Brooklyn.

For the past few years, we've heard a similar message from economists every early January: This will be the year the economy would finally recover. And every year, those promises have fallen short. Now, as we enter 2014, we are hearing a similar theme and this time, observers say, there really are signs for optimism. They point to stronger consumer confidence, fewer drawn out budget battles in Washington and less volatility around the world. Yet even as the economy seems to be slowly improving, President Barack Obama plans to highlight economic disparities in his State of the Union address tonight. Diane and her guests check in on the U.S. economy.

Chilean-American novelist Isabel Allende is one of the most successful Latin American writers of all time. Winner of 50 awards in more than 15 countries, her books have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide. Allende is known for writing historical fiction in the magic realism tradition. But her new novel is a marked departure from her usual genre. A work of crime fiction, it's the story of a brilliant teenage girl who tracks a serial killer in San Francisco. She gets help from her beloved grandfather and a group of online companions. Diane discusses "Ripper," a new novel from best-selling author Isabel Allende.

Since 2005, crude oil shipments by railways have risen by more than 400 percent. The increase is largely because of the boom in shale oil production in the U.S. and Canada. Concerns about recent accidents led the National Transportation Safety Board last week to call for stricter rail standards. The head of the NTSB, Deborah Hersman, said safety rules need to catch up with the new reality of large-scale oil shipments. Hersman also said, "the people and the environment along rail corridors must be protected from harm." What new rail safety rules could mean for industry, population centers and the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Syrian peace talks open in Switzerland with harsh exchanges from both sides. Political unrest in Ukraine turns deadly as authorities limit protests. And 13 men are arrested for a gang rape in Bengal, India. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.

A federal review board says the NSA data collection program is illegal. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew warns the U.S. will reach its borrowing limit by the end of February. And Virginia's attorney general announces he'll fight the state's ban on gay marriage. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

Office design has evolved alongside the changing nature of our work. As businesses shifted toward more collaboration, the physical barriers came tumbling down. As management structures morphed, some got rid of the corner office. Today, 70 percent of office spaces in the U.S. have an open floor plan. Meant to foster communication and stoke innovation, critics say we may have gone too far and that perhaps we've sacrificed focus for the free-flow of ideas. Diane and her guests discuss how workplace design affect workers, businesses and the bottom line.

A chemical spill left 300,000 West Virginians without safe tap water. Now, weeks later, officials say they've identified a second chemical. An update on the spill and safeguarding Americans' water supply.

For our January Readers' Review: "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck. Published almost 75 years ago, Steinbeck's story of the Joad family's migration from Dust Bowl Oklahoma to California holds important lessons for today. Diane and her guests discuss Steinbeck's classic novel.

On this day 41 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled women have a constitutional right to an abortion. Today, thousands of abortion opponents will hold their annual rally in front of the Court to protest that decision. Despite numerous attempts to repeal it, Roe v. Wade is still the law of the land. But the past few years have seen a surge in the passage of anti-abortion measures by dozens of state legislatures. Supporters and opponents of abortion rights agree the new restrictions have dramatically altered access to the procedure. And some are concerned low-income women are especially affected. Diane and her guests discuss how access to abortion has shifted in the four decades since Roe v. Wade.