Shaolin temple, the Buddhist monastery that's also the birthplace of Chinese kung fu, is now a World Heritage site.

Sir Geoffrey Palmer says heading an inquiry into a fatal Israeli raid on an aid flotilla will probably be the hardest job he has done.

Extreme social and economic disadvantage faced by Maori has been highlighted as an ongoing concern by a visiting UN expert.

Poor policy and a culture of not asking questions led to senior Defence Force staff double-dipping on allowances, a report has found.

Murray McCully says Afghanistan's Bamiyan Province, where NZ troops have been since 2003, will be ready to stand on its own before Hamid Karzai's 2014 deadline.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is battling to control his coalition as he heads for a showdown with his hardline foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman.

NZ won't extend the number of refugees it accepts and needs to address the increasing risk of people-smuggling boats hitting our shores, says the PM.

Bieber was targeted by an internet prank which leaves him struggling to find a way out of exporting his teeny-pop to North Korea.

The United Nations has decided to set up a single, powerful body to promote equality for women around the world.

Some Pakistanis are saying that the solution to the country's terror threat is a US exit from Afghanistan.

Fran O'Sullivan believes the visit to NZ by Chinese Vice-President Jinping is probably of more long-term importance than a visit by his US counterpart, Joe Biden.