No Republicans voted for it, but Obama pushes through healthcare reform; Google may reveal plans to close Chinese search engine this week; Iraq election commission will not do recount; food security for Africa; Iran gets censured for jamming satellites; and more
Read MoreTurning ECan inside out: Creech governance review, exposed?
Is the government's investigation of the performance of Environment Canterbury open to more robust critique than it has been getting?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday March 19
Clinton in Russia to talk nuclear arms control and Iran (+ analysis); Kevin Rudd warns China ahead of Rio Tinto trial; Maliki back in lead after 82% of Iraqi votes counted; CIA drone kills "top 20" al Qaeda man; and more
Read MoreThe last wails of the angry Hollow Men
And so the saga of the Brash email invesigations ends, not with a bang, but with continued denials by those exposed
Read MoreSeventh State debate: The Shortland St Effect
We opted out of Australia in the 1890s, and although some at the time hoped we'd have another chance at Australasian union, that was our one and only shot. Our distinctive New Zealand voice is now pulling us further away from our neighbours than ever before
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday March 18
Maliki files complaint as lead slips in Iraq election; World Bank predicts 9.5% China growth, urges stronger currency; Britain balks at tough hedge fund reform; Israel reopens Temple Mount after violence; and more
Read MoreHelping the Attorney-General out of a jam
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson has told Parliament that disenfranchising all prisoners cannot be justified in a free and democratic society. So why does it look like he's going to vote for this to become our law?
Read MoreScience strikes back: the dilemma of urgency vs. uncertainty
The man who has the Prime Minister's ear has quietly but forcefully defended climate scientists and thrown down the guantlet to the skeptics
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday March 17
US-Israel tensions over East Jerusalem escalate as Obama enters fray; Thai protesters spill blood in front of PM's house; Sadr posied to be power-broker as Iraq election results trickle in; McChrystal reins in Special Forces in Afghanistan; and more
Read MoreRNZ, ECan, the pot and the kettle
My theories on the Greens’ “conspiracies”, which will undermine their brand as much as National’s
Read MoreI love the news, it's my favourite show
This is a shameless attempt to attract media coverage for a relatively obscure blogsite. Please print my story - it's about a gay Labour MP.
Read MoreSuper city debate gets super heated
Aucklanders are giving the government’s super city plan the kind of reception that makes a lead balloon look positively stratospheric. Can Rodney Hide and Steven Joyce pull the Key coalition’s irons out of the fire?
Read MoreMonteith's beer winner
Have a strong opinion and want a case of free beer? Well, the winner is...
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday March 16
Chinese push back on currency pressure (+ analysis); Thai protesters denounce PM; French left wing deals blow to Sarkozy; US government takes on Wall St and Republicans with new bill (+ details)
Read MoreWho'll come a waltzing Matilda with me?
Why should we bother trying to catch up to Australia when we can just become Australia?
Read MoreNational's putting the central back in centre-right politics
For every tilt to the right, the government has a counter-balancing move to the centre. Whether that's due to mixed-up ideology or the height of political pragmatism, this is a National government a long way from the party of Richardson, Shipley and Brash
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday March 11
Israel to build 1600 new homes in East Jerusalem, earns US ire (+ analysis); San Suu Kyi to be banned from Burmese elections; Chinese exports soar; Ahmadinejad in Afghanistan; and more
Read MoreSAS – Now you see them, now you don’t
A newspaper photographer catches Willie Apiata walking home from an observation mission. John Key promises a new policy of openness about the SAS. The elite troops get involved in the first major fire fight of their mission. Where does the openness go?
World News Brief, Wednesday March 10
Biden leads peace talks with Israel, but critics round on Obama; Iraq election turnout figures released; Euro credit warnings see currencies slide; Secret US-Japan pacts revealed; and more
Read MoreThe anti-whaling ship of fools
Shame on Labour spokesperson Chris Carter and partisan blog The Standard for using anti-whaling diplomacy for short-term political gain
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