NATO condemns Syria for shooting down Turkish plane; South Korea to suspend imports of Iranian oil; Japan to double sales tax by 2015; Taliban kills 13 Pakistani soldiers; Paraguay's recently ousted president vows comeback; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday June 26
Member of Muslim Brotherhood wins Egyptian election -- first Muslimist elected head of an Arab state; Malaysia to deport Iranian bomb suspect; Chinese spacecraft docks with orbiting module, paves way for Chinese space station; key figure in 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks arrested; German finance minister rejects Obama's criticism of euro crisis, says he should reduce US deficit first; and more
Read MoreSurplus, what surplus? National's core brand at risk
Some have always reckoned National's target of surplus by 2014-15 was "fairyland", but oh no said John Key and Bill English, don't you worry. Now Alan Bollard has joined the naysayers, National has to realise just what's at stake
Read MoreWorld news Brief, Friday June 22
Britain and Ecuador at standoff over Julian Assange's bid for political asylum; China asks Cambodian officials to extradite French architect with links to Bo Xilai's wife Gu Kailai; a Burmese court sentences to death two Muslim men convicted of the rape and murder of a Buddhist woman; South African couple held by Somali pirates since October 2010 released; new prime minister appointed in Greece; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday June 21
Mubarak on life support after suffering stroke in prison; Cambodian police arrest associate of Bo Xilai's wife; 90,000 people displaced by ethnic fighting between Buddhists and Muslims in Burma; Pakistan's Supreme Court ousts PM; Russia won't intervene in Syria; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday June 20
G20 leaders pressure Europe to boost economic growth; China pledges $43 billion to International Monetary Fund's reserves; Chinese and Philippine vessels withdraw from disputed Scarborough Shoal; Afghan militants killed in attack on coalition base; governments urged to 'seize the moment' at Rio environmental summit; and more
Read MoreWinston Peters and his OTHER bottom line
Winston Peters got a weekend of great publicity out of a "bottom line" that is ultimately meaningless. But in the midst another bottom line emerged that may be harder to wriggle out of
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday June 19
Greek voters choose pro-bailout party; China completes first manned space docking; Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi finally accepts Nobel Peace Prize awarded in 1991; sucide bombers attack churches in Nigeria, 19 dead; G20 summit begins in Mexico; and more
Read MoreThe asset sales "trade-off" - a lose-lose
The partial asset sales are a compromise, according to the SOE minister. But why are taxpayers the ones left with the beads and blankets while the other bloke laughs all the way to the bank?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday June 15
Spanish government bonds climb above 7 percent; Aung San Suu Kyi addresses the UN in Geneva; Australia reveals plans to create world's largest network of marine parks; Karzai calls on Pakistan to help end Afghan war; David Cameron addresses News Corp inquiry; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday June 14
Hamid Karzai calls for end to air strikes in Afghanistan; UN sends envoy to Burma over sectarian clashes; Aung San Suu Kyi makes her first international trip in 24 years; US accuses Russia of supplying Syria with attack helicopters; borrowing costs continue to rise in Italy and Spain; and more
Read MoreExclusively Economic Zone bad for industry, says Forest & Bird
The Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill, currently passing through its remaining stages in Parliament, helps Big Oil less than you might think
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday June 12
Global markets rise with news of Spanish bank bailout; Burma declares state of emergency after violent clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in western Rakhine state; China's exports and imports up and inflation down; US threatens sanctions against "spoilers" to progress towards new Somali constitution and president; Russian police raid homes of opposition leaders; and more
Read MoreTrend: Left turn
Our poll of polls confirms National’s poor showing over the Budget period. Looking ahead, the advantage probably lies with Labour and the Greens
Read MoreNational forgets history lessons in class size debacle
A lack of political memory and of old-fashioned electorate experience are at the heart of National's F-grade performance on education and class sizes. If MPs did their homework they'd start looking, well, closer to home
Read MoreDon't do it Paula: Why Bennett's latest scheme should be removed at birth
Good on the government for its determination to keep having the "uncomfortable conversation" about child abuse. Sad it's not talking much sense
Read MoreDon't look here! Look over there!
What does a government do when people are talking about things that don't suit it? It gives people something else to talk about instead.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday June 7
Deputy al-Qaeda leader killed; China and Russia to boost military ties; Australia GDP up 1.3 per cent -- fastest growing in developed world; ICC calls on UN to take action against Sudan's president; Argentina and UK urged to find peaceful solution to Falklands dispute; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday June 6
G7 to hold emergency Eurozone talks; Putin in China to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao -- will discuss Syrian violence and Iran's nuclear programme; John Key signs NATO agreement to increase cooperation across terrorism, military training, disaster relief and intelligence; top al-Qaeda figure targeted in drone attack; Merkel endorses oversight of EU banks; and more
Read MoreDifferent bishops, different buildings, same outcry
Since when did church buildings become a matter of public vote?
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