WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Diane Rehm Show Podcast

Update on the killing of U.S. diplomats in Benghazi and the attack on the U.S. embassy in Cairo. Diane and guests discuss security implications for the region and rising tensions between the U.S. and the Arab world.

Twelve years after the publication of her award-winning first novel "White Teeth," Zadie Smith returns to the racially mixed, multicultural northwest sector of London where she grew up in the 1970s and 1980s. Her newest novel is titled simply "NW." It took more her than seven years to write, and she has likened it to a "problem play." The plot revolves around four people in their 30s who come from the same subsidized housing project. Through their eyes, she explores the complexities of the class system in London and how people from similar backgrounds can come to have vastly different destinies.

Chicago teachers on strike: How the union's fight over merit pay and job security highlights a broader national struggle.

Randy Cohen never set out to be a paragon of virtue. Though he spent a dozen years writing an ethics column for "The New York Times Magazine," his previous career was as an Emmy-winning comedy writer. As "The Ethicist," Cohen tackled questions on everything from what's OK to hold back from your spouse to navigating the ethics of social media. Though his column addressed everyday issues, it revealed much about power, money, class and gender. His most surprising letters? He says they were the ones he didn't receive — from politicians and CEO's — the people he believes need to think about ethics most. Diane talks with Randy Cohen about how to make the right choices in a less-than-clear-cut world.

Following Republican victories in the 2010 midterm elections, legislatures around the country passed new voting laws. Today, 10 states require photo identification to vote and most states allow early voting and provisional ballots. Democrats say some of these laws discourage minorities and the poor from voting. Republicans argue they prevent fraud. Courts in the battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio will hear arguments this week on voter ID and early voting. And in Florida, a battle over voter registration might cause a replay of the 2000 presidential election. Diane and guests discuss new voting laws and how it will impact the 2012 presidential race.

Some in Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have been speaking out about the need to act aggressively against Iran, with or without the support of the U.S. But many Israelis, including some in the military, do not share this view. Please join us to talk about the range of public opinion within Israel over how to respond to Iran's nuclear program.

Analysts weigh in on the questions front and center at both party conventions: Who's better off, who isn't and how the economy has changed since 2008.

Kofi Annan served two terms as secretary-general to the United Nations beginning in 1997. He was the first sub-Saharan African to lead the international body. In March he stepped out of retirement to take on what many called "mission impossible" — trying to resolve the conflict in Syria. But his six-point peace plan fell apart and he resigned as special envoy last month. In a new book, Kofi Annan reflects on his successes and failures during 40 years with the U.N. and argues for the U.N.'s continued relevance in the 21st century.

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.

Kofi Annan served two terms as secretary-general to the United Nations beginning in 1997. He was the first sub-Saharan African to lead the international body. In March he stepped out of retirement to take on what many called "mission impossible" — trying to resolve the conflict in Syria. But his six-point peace plan fell apart and he resigned as special envoy last month. In a new book, Kofi Annan reflects on his successes and failures during 40 years with the U.N. and argues for the U.N.'s continued relevance in the 21st century.

Bill Clinton and others take the stage, and the spotlight's on the middle class as President Barack Obama prepares to accept the party's nomination for a second term. Diane and her guests discuss the latest from the DNC in Charlotte, N.C.

Baby boomers make up 75 percent of hepatitis C cases in the U.S., but many don't know they have the potentially deadly virus. How to better identify and treat hep C.

State judges rule on most legal cases, but some argue campaign funding for judicial candidates leads to bias. Please join us to discuss fairness in state courts: elections versus appointment for state judges.

Growing up in Springdale, Penn., Rachel Carson was an avid reader who dreamed of becoming a writer. But a college biology teacher turned Carson's interest to the sciences. Her work at the Bureau of Fisheries led to the 1951 bestseller, "The Sea Around Us," which was the second of three books on ocean life. But then Carson learned a Long Island, N.Y., community was suing the federal government for spraying the insecticide DDT. Inspired by that case, Carson wrote the 1962 classic, "Silent Spring," which launched the modern environmental movement. For this month's Environmental Outlook: A new biography of the life and legacy of Rachel Carson.