Mention Waikato and what usually first comes to mind are cow-filled paddocks, a long river and a university.

Airbus has rushed two specialists to Jakarta to assist in the investigation of the disappeared A320 airliner operated by AirAsia, the budget carrier that rose from almost nothing in 2001 to be its biggest customer.

United States markets head into the last week of the year with a "Santa Claus rally" having lifted them to record highs, picking up momentum from outstanding GDP numbers in the world's biggest economy.

Follow the locals' instructions and this Unesco World Heritage-listed walking trail in the Kii Mountains could make your dreams come true, writes Kate Hodal.

New Zealand's eurocentric reference point in trade has been transformed in the past 20 years, writes Philip Burdon.

From slum tours to luxury high tea, Bhanu Bhatnagar offers an insider's guide to India's fascinating metropolis.

A Kiwi facing a charge of smuggling methamphetamine into Bali will need more than $100,000 to hire a lawyer specialising in cases punishable by death, an expert says.

New details have emerged about a NZ man's trip to Asia to meet his internet girlfriend for the first time, before he was arrested for allegedly smuggling meth into Bali.

China's big three state-owned airlines are spreading their wings and heading for New Zealand this summer and have room for the number of flights to double.

With $1 trillion spent on projects to feed a commodity boom since 2002, the world's mining firms have a lot riding on China.

At a time when commodity producers are enduring a slump in prices for everything, Vietnam's pepper farmers are prospering.

They may have gambling in common, but historic Macau has a genuine heart - and far better cuisine - than its glitzy American desert cousin, writes Jesse Mulligan.

The new Hunger Games Movie has reportedly been banned from a number of cinemas in Thailand after protesters adopted the film's hand gesture as an anti-authority symbol.

In a big blaze of neon lights, Brett Atkinson discovers Tokyo's best watering holes.

About 4000 households face rates increases of 40 per cent or more next year under a "cold turkey" proposal causing deep divisions among city councillors.

When Dr Noel Trustrum landed in the Indonesian province of Aceh in January 2005, the Kiwi scientist struggled to comprehend what he saw around him.

This ancient city teems with magnificent architectural history, writes Nicola Lamb.

It was all business for John Key at NZ's new consulate in Chengdu yesterday, but it was all pleasure for his wife, Bronagh - a little bundle of it called Xing Yu.

Paula Yeoman has a musical epiphany in the humidity of Borneo.

Helen van Berkel meets a scamster driving a tuk-tuk, but still manages to pack in a stack of sightseeing pleasures that will give her dinner party anecdotes to last into her dotage.

Yngve Slyngstad, Norwegian wealth fund's CEO, says almost all investment decisions are affected by what happens in China.

'Rotting' flowers, turtle hatchlings, sky-high thrills ... this is one cool stopover.

Heather Ramsay takes a ride on a luxury riverboat along the Ganges and experiences many faces of India along the way.

Singapore Airlines is carefully picking its battles as it faces increased competition from Middle Eastern carriers and budget airlines.

Tech is part of everyone's life in Japan, but doesn't appear to have supplanted their livelihood, even for menial tasks.

A Beijing hotpot organ-ises Neil Connor's taste buds.

Sri Lankans revere and celebrate their tumultuous history. As Chris Pritchard learned, they like visitors to enjoy it, too.

Kevin Pilley flies on Buddha Air for a close encounter with the Goddess of the Sky. Well, almost ...

Singapore's cocktail bars are hip and their mixologists savvy, writes Paul Harper.