USA

On his new album Nobody's Smiling, rapper Common presents a grim picture of his hometown Chicago, backed by the dark and ominous beats of longtime collaborator No I.D. Nick Bollinger takes a listen. Audio

The immigration crisis. Audio

Auckland blues musician Tom Rodwell's recent journey to the American south took him to the Georgia Sea Islands, where he came face to face with the private heart of African American music - gospel… Audio

Insight travels to Washington to explore how NZ can balance relationship between US and China Audio

Another mass killing in the U.S. Audio

Dr. John R. Finnegan, Jr. is a professor and the Dean at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. He is an epidemiology and community public health expert, and one of the 12 Deans who… Audio

The CIA says it will never again use vaccination programmes as cover for operations after admitting it set up a fake immunisation survey as it hunted for Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Audio

The next presidential election and changes at The New York Times. Audio

Criticism of the US handling of the Ukraine crisis. Accusations of racism in the NBA. Audio

With President Obama's former director of digital strategy, Macon Phillips. Audio

Out and about in rural Wisconsin. Audio

The Boston Marathon, the Ukraine situation and the President visits Asia.. Audio

Big Republican convention this weekend; Letterman's replacement named. Audio

Jack Hitt discusses US politics. Audio

Kennedy Warne speaks to us from Santa Cruz Island off the LA coast - which is a nature reserve, in the process of ecological recovery. Audio

Co-founder of the Montana-based American Independent Business Alliance, discussing this week's McCutcheon v. FEC decision by the US Supreme Court. Audio

In the United States the hostility between the CIA and the Senate Intelligence Committee has moved into top gear with revelations torturing terrorism suspects did not yield any signficant… Audio

Canadian-born singer brought up in the Neilson Family Band, now resident in New Zealand and on tour with a new album, Dynamite!. Audio

'Speech' of afrocentric hip hop outfit Arrested Development talks to Trevor Reekie about the Atlanta Georgia group's place in the hip hop landscape. Audio

After recording and touring with David Byrne in the project Love This Giant, Annie Clark, aka St Vincent returned to her solo work, releasing her fourth album this week, simply titled St Vincent. Emma… Audio