Auckland is a multicultural city and its Heritage Festival should reflect that multicultural heritage. Events are a bit too Pakeha-based, but the walks make for pleasant discovery - and it's free.

Witi Ihimaera's novel The Trowenna Sea, which was accused of plagiarism, won't be republished, despite an amended version being promised.

The Govt will contribute up to $10m to assist with the repair and restoration of character buildings in quake-hit Canterbury.

Hone Harawira believes that 98pc of Maori will fail to meet the threshold to gain ownership of the foreshore and seabed under pending Govt legislation.

Tariana Turia, co-leader of the Maori Party, writes about the foreshore and seabed debates and tides of change.

Rebel MP Hone Harawira broke ranks with his Maori Party colleagues in Parliament today and voted against the legislation that will replace the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

Vibha Soni moved to Auckland from a computer career in Mumbai, India. Now she and husband Sanjay run an Asian spice store in Birkenhead, North Shore and sell their Indian spice mixes online and to more than 300 shops around the country.

I was sitting in a restaurant in Urumqi, in northern China, enjoying the spicy food smells from the kitchen, when a plaintiff Australian voice quavered across the room, "I want steak, eggs and chips."

Matt Crook reports on a smack-you-in-the-face adventure.

In World War II the railway line between Thailand and Burma was built by Allied prisoners of war and Asian labourers to give the Japanese an overland supply route.

Standing on snakes and having trees fall on him are all in a day's work for the archaeologist who's been called Auckland's Indiana Jones.

The temple of a famous Buddhist reconciles tensions between communism and religion, writes Jim Eagles.

For the first time in a long while, the 'Ground Zero mosque' man is avoiding the press.