Foreign leaders find NSA spying by US 'an abuse of trust'; Mexico puts a stop to GMO corn production; California issues largest campaign donor violation fine to two groups; Sriracha hot sauce gets its place at the table; Alan Weisman's 'Countdown' explores Earth's population capacity, plus much more. Elizabeth Mitchell takes a new twist on the Christmas album with 'The Sounding Joy', plus much more.
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• 5:54
The Fair Political Practices Commission has ordered two groups to pay the state $15 million for failing to accurately report the source of donor money in the 2012 election.
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• 4:21
This past year, the number of migrants that have been rescued trying to cross the border there has spiked. From the Fronteras Desk in Phoenix, Jude Joffe-Block has this report on what it's like to answer those 9-1-1 calls.
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• 4:45
News emerged this week that the NSA monitored the phone calls of 35 world leaders. Apparently this surveillance produced little in the way of intelligence, but it certainly sparked a lot of outrage worldwide.
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• 15:48
It's time for our weekly analysis of the big stories making news, the Friday Flashback. Joining us to discuss healthcare.gov and other stories is Nancy Cook of National Journal, and James Rainey of the LA Times.
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• 5:43
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Mexico issued a ban on growing genetically modified corn. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed last year by activists, but advocates say that the GMO corn is necessary for Mexico to feed its citizens.
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• 9:39
Singer and songwriter Elizabeth Mitchell has always loved Christmas music. Her new album, "The Sounding Joy", is a collection of songs for the holiday, but it's definitely not your typical holiday record.
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• 7:42
Our friends at The Atlantic gathered scientists, entrepreneurs, engineers, and historians of technology to rank the top 50 breakthroughs that have shaped modern times.
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• 5:50
This week, there was a push to dramatically increase the number of zero-emission cars on the roads. California and New York are among eight states that have vowed to improve the infrastructure to power clean cars.
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• 4:59
Excuse the pun but, sriracha is totally hot right now. Now the spicy stuff is getting its own festival. The first annual Los Angeles Sriracha festival happens this Sunday. We talk to one of the cofounders, Randy Clemens.
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• 5:51
The November issue of LA Magazine explores LA's very international food scene. Dine Editor Lesley Bargar Suter joins the show with more.
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• 4:09
In Lake Forest, two families spend thousands of dollars trying to outdo each other each Halloween, building over-the-top haunted house attractions.
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• 4:52
California uses more fire retardant on average than any other state, but some environmental activists say the substance is ineffective and dangerous to wildlife.
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• 9:48
In his last book, The World Without Us, author Alan Weisman imagined what the Earth would be like if humans suddenly disappeared. Now he explores a world with us. His new book "Countdown" explores the "optimum population" to make sure we can stick around on this planet.