The Brian Lehrer Show

Jurors found Daniel Penny not guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Samantha Max, reporter covering public safety for WNYC/Gothamist, who was in the courtroom covering the trial. And Tiffany Cabán, NYC Council Member (District 22, Astoria, Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, Woodside and Rikers Island), shares legislation she's working on related to mental health care.

The USDA recently announced plans to test milk for bird flu. Amy Maxmen, PhD, public health correspondent and editor at KFF Health News, explains why this is necessary, and what officials know about the spread of the virus and what the U.S. is doing to prevent another pandemic scenario.

As our centennial series continues, and as the shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO led to an outpouring of frustration from consumers, Elisabeth Rosenthal, senior contributing editor at KFF Health News, former ER physician and author of An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back (Penguin Press, 2017), breaks down the perception and reality of health care and health insurance in the United States over the last century.

Earlier this month, the top United Nations court opened two weeks of hearings into what countries worldwide are legally required to do to combat climate change. Nikki Reisch, director of the climate and energy program at the Center for International Environmental Law, explains the hearings so far and what relief they may provide for vulnerable nations.

Listeners call in to share tips on how to survive - and maybe even have fun at - their work holiday parties. 

Mohammed Aly Sergie, editor of Semafor Gulf, talks about the latest developments in Syria.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event, including the not guilty verdict in the Daniel Penny subway chokehold case.

John Cassidy, staff writer at The New Yorker, talks about the latest national economic news, including the jobs numbers, healthcare frustrations and President-elect Trump's pick for Treasury secretary. 

Errol Louis, political anchor of Spectrum NY1 News, host of Inside City Hall and The Big Deal with Errol Louis, New York Magazine columnist and host of the podcast You Decide, talks about the latest NYC news, including the deadlocked jury* in the Daniel Penny trial, Mayor Adams's refusal to rule out switching to the Republican party and more. [*Note, this took place before the jury returned a verdict in the Penny trial.]

As our centennial series continues, John Fricke, historian focused on The Wizard of Oz and Judy Garland and the author of The Wonderful World of Oz: An Illustrated History of the American Classic (Down East Books, 2014), talks about the enduring impact of the story of The Wizard of Oz.