Since going solo in 1993, Slovakia has sprinted to a new prosperity, finds Susan Buckland.

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is preparing to go on tour, with Jeremy Wells joining them to make a documentary.

The orchestra will visit some of the most prestigious, and beautiful, concert halls in Europe.

In one of the most exciting pairings since Hudson met Hall, broadcaster Jeremy Wells is going on a European tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Seasoned Wwoofer Venetia Sherson gets more than she bargained for on an olive picking job in the hills of southern Tuscany.

Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney has made some positional swaps and one change for Saturday's Four Nations opener against England.

Stocks in Europe and the US slid as China unexpectedly increased its benchmark interest rate and after Apple's earnings forecast fell short of some expectations.

Wwoof stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms or Willing Workers on Organic Farms. It is an international network linking people who want to work on organic farms with people looking for volunteer help.

For further information see wwoof.org.

If the rumours are true and Wayne Rooney is leaving Manchester United, which clubs would be fighting for his signature?

A disappointing final round for Kiwi golfer Mark Brown at the European Tour's Portugal Masters.

Scientists have raised serious concerns about the widespread use of one of the world's most common painkillers.

The Australian dollar has finally hit parity with the US dollar.

One of England's biggest police forces is tweeting every incident it deals with over a 24-hour period to give the public an idea of the workload officers face.

Mary MacKillop (1842-1909) is set to become Australia's first saint.

While we ponder what to buy this season, designers in Europe are showing what will be hot for summer in 2012.