Features

Wearing ear plugs while performing seems counter-intuitive but touring Scottish pianist Steven Osborne knows all too well what happens when you don’t. Video, Audio

The Detail - There's a new plan to tax gas guzzlers and give discounts on cleaner cars - but changing over to electric vehicles just isn't that easy.  Audio

American Samoa Senator, Satele Galu Satele, wants an official report presented to the Senate on the health status of Governor Lolo Moliga.

Archer Jil Walter celebrated her birthday in style by winning Samoa's first gold medal of the Pacific Games, while the country's Prime Minister finished last in his event.

Fiji won gold in the men's and women's rugby league nines on a historic night at the Pacific Games, beating Papua New Guinea in both finals.

Vanuatu's internal affairs minister says his government was not told by China what, if any, charges were laid against six people who were deported from the country last week.

In a significant shift in position, in the last few months the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK now accepts that it has not paid enough attention to patients suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms when coming off anti-depressants. Audio

Where were your oats kept before they were packaged up and placed on the supermarket shelf, and is there a chance you're actually eating insects with every bite? Audio

This dynamic ensemble is pushing funk music into the future, building on the uplifting pioneering foundations laid out by the likes of James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone. Audio

A group of South Aucklanders who have lost hundreds of kilos between them say health authorities need to get back to grass roots to fight obesity there. Audio

It was an instinctual act for student turned journalist Waad al-Kateab to pick up her phone to film the Syrian uprising.  Video, Audio

Karl Steven delves into the history of trumpets, trombones, horns, and tubas and their kin, explores Tutankhamun's burial chamber, and learns about musical military signals, as well as listening to a truckload of brazen and beautiful brassy music. Video, Audio

Some songs articulate an experience so well that it feels as if the writers have actually read your mind. The Song Crush team have a few of those from rapper NF, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Yola and more. Video, Audio

The dimly-lit  atmosphere, beautiful music and special acoustics in Nelson's Cathedral make for a very special experience in the 'Bach by Candlelight' concert at the Adam Chamber Music Festival.

Ravinder Hunia is in Manchester for the Cricket World Cup semifinal where the Black Caps will play against India, battling internally with who to support.

In this episode of Voices we find out how hard it is for older Chinese people to learn a new language in a new country. Audio

This stellar young oboist is the first New Zealander to win Munich's prestigious ARD competition in its 66-year history. Still in his 20s, Thomas is already well established in his professional career.

Celebrations of Matariki seem pale in comparison to those for Chinese New Year and Diwali - why? And do we need to look at rearranging our public holiday schedule to mark it? Audio

John Eady, chair of the charitable trust that runs the competition, chooses his favourite performances from years gone by. Video, Audio

New Zealand has a sense of isolation and melancholy similar to Northern Ireland, says Gary Lightbody, so he feels a kinship with this country. Snow Patrol visit next month to play a sold-out show in Auckland. Audio

A Fijian marketing expert is 'kickstarting' the tourism industry in the island nation of Kiribati.

MLMs - multi-level marketing schemes - are not illegal, but they often target vulnerable women and very few people make money out of them. Audio

John, Robert, Nicholas and David Childs - three generations of outstanding euphonium players and brass band directors from one Welsh family. Audio

Guam's Governor Lou Leon Guerrero is under pressure to pause activities related to the United States military build-up on the island.