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In the past year, actor Michael Fassbender has played a mutant villain in X-Men: First Class, psychoanalyst Carl Jung in A Dangerous Method, Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre and a sex addict in Shame. He discusses several of these roles, as well as his part in Inglourious Basterds.

With Iran threatening to block U.S. ships from entering the Persian Gulf and the United States vowing not to back down, the stage seems to be set for war. And yet, what's happening with Iran right now may be more of an economic confrontation than a military standoff.

Each year, as Congress works to wrap up budget and tax bills and other "must-pass" legislation, inevitably not so must-pass items creep into the mix — inserted either to smooth passage for the more important things, or in the hopes that no one will notice. This year marks the first time that leadership has been unable to use earmarks to buy off reluctant votes, and has turned to other forms of grease instead. NPR's David Welna reports.

Host Michel Martin continues her recap of this year's political highlights and flops with journalism professor Cynthia Tucker U.S. News and World Report columnist Mary Kate Cary. They look at some of the more comedic moments, including those from Jon Huntsman and Herman Cain.

President Obama had a rare bipartisan economic success when Congress passed three trade deals this week. But some important parts of Obama's political base are not fans, which could have political consequences for the president.

Economic disparities and race are closely aligned issues in America. Host Audie Cornish talks with Harvard economics professor Roland Fryer, who recently won a MacArthur genius grant for his research on the subject.

Although goats have been cultivated around the world for centuries, the practice of raising them and using their milk for cheese is a fairly recent phenomenon in the U.S. The public has been slow to accept the goat's unique flavor.

The Federal Reserve has announced a plan to drive long-term interest rates even lower. But with borrowers still too cautious to take on additional debt, will the move have a positive effect? Some experts say they're not holding their breath. "The Fed can only do so much," one analyst says.

Iowa voters were getting an earful Saturday at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition forum. Meanwhile, Nevada decided to move back its caucus to Feb. 4. NPR National Political Correspondent Mara Liasson joins host Audie Cornish to look at the week's political news and preview what's ahead for the presidential race.

Fuel convoys are expensive and dangerous, pushing the military to seek out new energy sources. That frequently pairs them with alternative energy startups, which some call risky ventures. For the companies themselves, the chance to work with the military means more investment and a chance to expand.