In an historic judgment, the UN-backed court at The Hague found Liberia's former president, Charles Taylor, guilty of war crimes. He was convicted of abetting murder, rape, and the forced enlistment of child soldiers during Sierra Leone's civil war. Host Michel Martin talks about reactions in Liberia and Sierra Leone with journalist Tamasin Ford.

The Los Angeles riots stunned the nation in 1992, claiming more than 50 lives in that city. As the unrest approached Koreatown, store owner Kee Whan Ha mobilized his fellow business owners to arm themselves and defend their property. Host Michel Martin talks with him about the riots, and the neighborhood today.

The beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers sparked the chain of events that led to the deadly L.A. riots 20 years ago this weekend. Host Michel Martin speaks with Rodney King about his memories of the riots, the beating, and his new book, The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption.

It must take a boatload of energy to be Michel Nischan. He owns a restaurant, writes cookbooks and lead the fast-growing non-profit Wholesome Wave, which connects low-income neighborhoods with local, farm fresh foods. WW has doubled its reach over the last few years, linking about 2,300 local farmers with thousands of people.

Karl Wallinger is best known as the brains behind the Britpop band World Party. A Welsh singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Wallinger displayed an early obsession with all things folk and pop. After experience directing The Rocky Horror Show on stage and working in music publishing, he played keyboards for the Scottish folk-rock band The Waterboys.

The U.S. economy hit the recession exit ramp nearly three years ago, but it's been lost on the back roads somewhere near Recoveryville ever since.

Growth rates have been modest at best compared with the 4-plus percent growth in the years well before the U.S. began slouching toward its worst post-World War II recession.

The U.S. economy grew at a 2.2 percent annual rate in the first quarter of the year, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

That's down from the 3 percent pace in fourth-quarter 2011, but is still better than the 1.7 percent growth for all of last year.

The first-quarter figure will be revised twice, in each of the next two months.

We'll have more about the report shortly.

Update at 8:47 a.m. ET. Behind The Numbers: