Israel names 26 Palestinian prisoners to be freed; Cambodia upholds election results; Japan's economy expands for third consecutive quarter; Mugabe makes first post-election speech; Britain may take legal action against Spain over Gibraltar
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The secret behind the housing debate -- and 3 ideas
We're going to need just about every one of the housing policies being thrown around at the moment because any big fix is going to be down to lots of small change... and it's going nuts out there
Read MoreSecond thoughts on Tiwai Pt – wrong deal, wrong time
I tried showing a little sympathy for Bill English last week. That'll teach me. The Tiwai Pt deal has fewer reedeming features that I dared hope and may make little difference to the Meridian float
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday August 9
Obama cancels meeting with Putin following Edward Snowden controversy; Japan summons Chinese envoy after Chinese ships entered Japanese disputed territorial waters; Japan launches its largest warship since World War II; India-Pakistan relations fray further; Syrian rebels claim to have hit President Bashar al-Assad's motorcade; and more
Read MoreTiwai Pt - just more expedience and poor dealing
The Tiwai Point subsidy buys time, but ultimately is just the latest in a series of deals by governments of different strips that sees the taxpayers stumping up for political reasons. Will it ever end?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday August 8
Tunisians gather to protest transitional government; anti-government protestors in Thailand rally against amnesty bill; North Korea proposes another round of talks with South Korea; Yemen foils al-Qaeda plot; Mexico launches energy reform; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday August 7
Taliban hold secret talks with Hamid Karzai; China's foreign minister finishes Southeast Asia tour; Japanese prime minister vows to pursue world without nuclear arms; US and Britain withdraw government and diplomatic personnel from Yemen; US evaluating whether Obama will attend Russian summit in wake of Snowden decision; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday August 6
US closes embassies in Middle East and North Africa amid heightened potential terrorist threat; Philippines awaits "positive response" to invitation to Chinese foriegn minister; US military helicopter crashes in Okinawa; bomb explodes at Buddhist temple in Jakarta; Zimbabwe opposition supporters say they were attacked by Mugabe supporters; and more
Read MorePoll of Polls update – stopping the rot & what Winston wants
We've got the latest polls all mixed up together and come up with some thoughts on Winston Peters and a bunch of questions for you to discuss. So off you go...
Read MoreThree strikes and you’re out, Fonterra.
This is the third infant formula crisis that Fonterra has been involved with. Time to go.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday August 2
Propsed $500 billion budget cut will reduce US ability to meet global security goals, says Chuck Hagel; more than 100 independent news sites chut down in China; Australia sends first group of asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea; Snowden leaves Moscow airport after Russia gives him temporary asylum; Uruguay on path to legalise marijuana; and more
Read MoreWho's to blame for the abuse on Andrea Vance?
We're not at the bottom of this story yet, but I can't help but wonder if those of us in the media need to have a good hard look at ourselves
Read MoreI'm not surprised at all and really, why should I be?
Today saw two of the most predictable stories of recent times appear in the news.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday August 1
Zimbabwe heads to the polls amid concerns about vote fraud; Cambodia's opposition party calims election; Obama may visit Tokyo next year; Iran and Syria sign oil deal; report finds US spends half a billion dollars each year operating Guatanamo prison; and more
Read MoreBradley Manning verdict a lesson for our Defence chiefs
The Bradley Manning verdict sends a clear message to the chiefs at the top of our Defence Service (and Parliamentary Services). They should listen and hang their heads in shame. Investigative journalism is not treacherous.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday July 31
EU envoy visits Mohammed Morsi; Chinese media downplay prospect of China-Japan summit; Cambodia's government denies election fraud; Tunisia's government refuses to step down; Pope changes the tone on discussions about gays in the Catholic church; and more
Read MoreThose stupid knuckleheads, whom I respect enormously
Presented for your consideration, and without any further comment, I give you John Key's oddly divergent views of the media.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday July 30
Israel and Palestine to resume peace talks; Japan and Chins to hold talks in effort to de-escalate territorial row; Cambodia's opposition leaders reject election results; China activates natural gas pipeline from Burma; John Kerry to visit Pakistan; Morsi supporters call for fresh protest rallies in Egypt; Italian court to make appeal judgement on Berlusconi's alleged tax evasion; and more
Read MoreMorale was deteriorating and it was all Yossarian's fault
The country was in peril; he was jeopardizing his traditional rights of freedom and independence by daring to exercise them.
Read MoreEvery end is a new beginning
I thought I'd written the last word on New Zealand electoral law. Then bloody Judith Collins tells the world she's going to make a whole lot more.
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