Why the Deep South is ground zero for the domestic AIDS epidemic.
New Orleans

The disappearing delta
Need to Know revisits a report about the erosion of the wetlands along the Louisiana coastline — New Orleans’ natural buffer against hurricanes.

Unnatural disaster: The fifth anniversary of Katrina
Need to Know follows Harry Shearer, the writer and comic actor, through New Orleans, as he punctures the myths and misconceptions about Hurricane Katrina.

Big Oil’s influence in the Gulf
Oil drilling is a major part of the Louisiana economy. And in return, says one observer, the state has become Big Oil’s “PR department.”

The sounds after the storm
Need to Know spoke with three leading jazz thinkers about how Katrina and its aftermath have reshaped New Orleans’ music community.

The Gulf oil spill
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been front page news since April 20, but here are five things that you might not know about the spill.