What Progress Means for Iran Talks and Why China is Banking on the Fire Horse

The U.S. and Iran were back at the negotiating table for a second round of nuclear talks, even as tensions outside the room continue to rise. These negotiations come after Iran’s deadly crackdown over the nationwide uprising, where over 7,000 people were killed, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. NBC News Digital’s international editor and reporter Babak Dehghanpisheh joins the pod to break down whether these talks are a genuine off-ramp from conflict in the shadow of possible escalation. And in China, hundreds of millions of people are on the move for the Lunar New Year, the world’s largest annual migration. The holiday blends family reunions, gift-giving and a massive travel surge, with consumers expected to spend more than $140 billion on trips, meals and presents. NBC News Correspondent Janis Makey Frayer joins the pod to talk about how Chinese officials are banking on a burst of consumer spending to jump-start an economy losing steam. And what better time to do it than the Year of the Fire Horse, a symbol of raw energy, bold risk and big swings. 

Plus, Olympic gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor joins us to talk about motherhood and the monobob, and we remember a Civil Rights icon, Rev. Jesse Jackson.

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