With most of the difficult policy changes made, it seems Australian PM Julia Gillard is now tidying house. Opponent Kevin Rudd is being swept to the backbenches to clear the path to the 2013 elections
Read MoreOn the matter of coming 2nd and yet winning
The latest opinion polls raise the prospect of a scenario that's new to modern New Zealand politics – the party that comes second leading the government. And it's something we need to front early
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday February 23
Homs crackdown continues for 20th day, as two foreign journalists killed; Analysis: the role of business owners and questions about military intervention; Rudd resigns prefacing battle for leadership of Australian Labor party; Iran denies nuclear inspectors access to plant; UN council to vote on more peacekeepers for Somalia; Cameron declares al-Shabab a "substatial" threat; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday February 22
Greece gets its next bailout – but do the same problems remain? Greek debt to drop from 160% to 120.5% of GDP; Iran warns of pre-emptive strike is national interests threatened; Americans see Iran as 'top enemy'; Whole classrooms of school children forced to fight in Somalia; South Korea conducts provoctive military drill; Burma junta lifts campaigning restrictions; and more
Read MoreSex and the Republicans - it's not pretty
The American economy must be on the improve, which explains why Republicans have entered the country's bedrooms in a desperate bid to demonise Obama as the destroyer of the constitutional right to freedom of religion. At least they are kidding themselves.
Read MoreGreens growth: The political maths of the centre-left
If the Greens thought the past three years were challenging, just wait for the next three. They – and Labour – need to figure out a new way of growing the centre-left bloc without tearing each other to pieces
Read More"It’s The Prime Minister’s Show” – Really?
Was “The Prime Minister’s Hour” on Radio Live a prohibited election programme? The Electoral Commission says “yes” – the Broadcasting Standards Authority says “no”. And the row needs to be resolved.
Read MorePoliticians who pretend – a week of parliamentary delusions
Politicians have been arguing that black is white this week, showing that they're about as connected to reality as a two year-old chasing dragons
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday February 17
US and Afghanistan in peace talks with Taliban; Xi says US should respect China's core interests; Thai police say Iranians arrested for attempted bomb attack were targeting Israeli diplomats; Iran offers to return to international nuclear talks for first time in a year; Greek finance minister says Greece is being forced out of euro; horrific scenes at Honduras prison fire scene; and more
Read MoreNo more garage sale NZ: the politics
National is caught on the wrong side of an argument it doesn't want to be having, because it's already busy losing another argument it doesn't want to be having. Know what I mean?
Read MoreNo more garage sale NZ: How the Crafar Farms 'set aside' ups the ante
Justice Miller put on his radical robes yesterday and turned the prevailing view of foreign investment on its head. So what does it mean for the overseas ownership debate and the Crafar Farms deal?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday February 16
Greek austerity package doesn't go far enough, says head of eurozone finance ministers group; Joe Biden criticises China's Xi Jinping over human rights abuses, intellectual property theft and devalued currency; Iranians arrested and charged over attempted bomb attack in Bangkok; Pakistan's Musharraf accused of knowing Osama bin Laden's hideout; UN asks for aid access to Sudan; economy remains biggest US election issue; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday February 15
Claims Syrian troops have killed 500 in Homs in past ten days; UN to consider Arab Laegue plan for Assad to hand over power to vice president; Moody's downgrades six Euro countries; Bipartisan US group urges China to back Iran sanctions; Obama unveils new Budget; Maldives leader wants peace, former president demands new elections; and more
Read MoreAnti-Israel bombings not casus belli
Suspicion that Iran is responsible for bomb attacks on Israeli embassies are no more - or less - credible than suspicion Israel has assassinated a number of Iran's top nuclear scientists. True or not, they should be pause for thought, not cause for war.
Read MoreRiveting argument about tax
I wrote a book! (I know, I am as surprised as you...) Casey Plunket from Chapman Tripp says parts of it suck. I say otherwise.
Read MoreIt's time to put up or shut up
Now that the rather pointless referendum on keeping MMP is over and done with, the real work starts. You have to play your part, too.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday February 10
Dozens killed in sixth day of Homs crackdown; Arab League to return to Syria, perhaps with UN observers; Analysis – so what should be done with Syria?; Greeks government parties reach austerity deal, EU ministers meeting to discuss; Israel and US disgree on Iran threat; Amensty claims Russia & China breaking arms embargo in Darfur; Further improvements in Burma?; and more
Read MoreAsset sales – Where are Mum and Dad’s shares?
Iwi may be steaming over the Government’s plans to convert State-owned enterprises into “Mixed Ownership” businesses - but so will the country’s “Mum and Dad” investors when they find out what the iwi are being told.
Read MoreYou can't put Key on the radio ...
Putting the Prime Minister on the radio for an hour to show listeners what a nice guy he is "appears to encourage or persuade voters to vote for a political party or the election of any person at an election". Who'd a thunk it?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday February 9
Euro Bank makes US$14 billion concession – if Greece agrees to austerity deal (+ analysis); Argentina accuses UK of "militarising" south Atlantic and takes Falkland's claim to UN; South Korea to make weapons for Saudis in new deal; CIA boss considers Burma trip; Protesters back Maldives' first democratically elected PM
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