The specific political distinction to which political actions and motives can be reduced is that between friend and enemy.
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World News Brief, Tuesday November 9
US does $15 billion business in India, pledges support for UN seat (+ analysis); China vs. the US currency wars continue; Iraqi leaders meet for reconciliation talks; David Cameron heads to China to take care of business; and more
Read MoreRichard Peacocke on the Mackenzie Basin cubicle farming row
Why debate the greening of the Mackenzie Basin when in reality it is being overrun by weeds and wilding pines and the topsoil is being blown away?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday November 5
The US Fed's last-ditch attempt at recovery – printing money (+ analysis); Obama takes responsibility for mid-terms loss, but divisions remain; Fears of military clashes in Asia grow; Iran's historic protests; and more
Read MoreWhat I learnt from the US mid-terms
In which I absorb the lessons of the mid-terms, am confirmed in my belief that it should have been Madam President, and advertise some good telly
Read MoreFamily First & Winston Peters the last to wake up on s59 - latest court decision irrelevant
Supreme Court decision in James Mason case nothing to do with s59 law change; NZ First heading backwards, with support for Family First's demands. Time to give it up, Bob.
Read MoreAl Morrison’s conser-vision
DOC’s Director-General has a new ‘bluegreen’ conservation vision: follow the money to business partnership, because the country’s broke, and along the way further downsize his own little threadbare empire. What kind of Chief Executive is this?
Read MoreThe Hobbit exposes the failings of NZ Inc.
National arrived in government promising a unified approach to economic growth, but two years into its term The Hobbit debacle revealed a reality at odds with the rhetoric
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday November 2
Leftist guerilla turned dour technocrat wins Brazil presidency (+ analysis); Clinton has China warning for Cambodia as she tours Asia-Pacific; US Fed to make crucial stimulus decision this week; What to do about Yemen?; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday October 29
Hillary Clinton wants clarity from China on rare-earth minerals policy; Japan and US strengthen security alliance; Bank of Japan unveils $61.4 billion asset-buying programme; economic woes overshadow US mid-term elections; Afghans apply more pressure over Pakistani insurgents; and more
Read MoreOne last Hobbit related question
There's something about this Hobbit business that doesn't sit quite right with me. I need help to understand it.
Read MoreCoal conversion recipe: whip ‘em, and spin it a bit
Solid Energy wants to open up ‘new energy’ and other things: lignite resources, public debate, the company’s own mind, apparently. Shame those dangerous radicals don’t have much to say worth hearing. Shame if they had to be booted out, for asking the wrong questions
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday October 28
US Federal Reserve debates how to rescue US economy (+ analysis); China commits to improve product safety; new Middle East deal would offer Israel generous incentives in return for settlement freeze; Obama deports 70% more illegal aliens than Bush; and more
Read MoreBilbo Woke Up with the Early Sun in His Eyes
In which the author confidently predicts the resolution of The Hobbit saga. Accuracy, or indeed any connection with the real world, not guaranteed.
Read MoreMatt McCarten stands for Mana, promising to "change the campaign"
The union boss is taking his show on the road... all the way to Mana. McCarten wants to "make them work for it", and it's a safe bet both Labour and National will be on the receiving end of his sharp tongue
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday October 27
Iran begins injecting fuel into its first nuclear reactor (+ analysis); China wary of growing anti-Japan mood; US mid-terms looks set to divide Congress further on deficit; India suspicious of getting too close to US; and more
Read MoreThe Hobbit - we've lost the magic
The Hobbit stoush has been a Hollywood production, sadly a million miles from the New Zealand that once seemed so perfectly suited as the real world home of hobbits. It doesn't feel like we can trust anyone in this picture
Read MoreWhy shouldn't actors be responsible for the result of their actions ?
As Warner Bros. executives arrive in the country, let's put to bed the concept that the studio would waste its time manufacturing a crisis and look at the economic realities
Read MoreNational's rampage against hobbits and workers reaps its own reward
National is certainly on the offensive with its employment and welfare reforms, even proposing a law change specifically to benefit producers of The Hobbit; but it faces a new mood of resistance and dissent
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday October 22
US announces largest arms deal in its history... to Saudi Arabia (+ analysis); Chinese economic growth slows... to 9.6 per cent; US officials to warn named Iraqis about new Wikileaks release; China fails to stall Darfur report showing it broke embargo; and more
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