Extracting information on military operations in Afghanistan from the New Zealand Defence Force is difficult at the best of times. The Christmas Eve NZSAS raid on the business premises of the Afghan Tiger Group in Kabul last year was not one of NZDF’s best times...
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday June 29
Greek workers strike ahead of parliament's decision on austerity (+ analysis: no easy solutions); International court issues warrant for Qaddafi and son; Afghan central banker flees after exposing embezzlement; Obama confident debt deal is close; Japanese PM promises to resign; and more
Read MoreLabour lessons from Tai Tokerau: A Westie Surprise
A day out campaigning suggests two factors Labour has in its favour as we approach the serious end of the electoral cycle. And no, they're not what you expect
Read MoreBehind the Curtain at Vote for Change
Guess who is sitting centre stage of the new campaign to defeat proportional representation?
Read MoreMike Joy answers the PM, with hard facts
Fresh water ecologist Dr Mike Joy responds to the Prime Minister’s ‘hardtalk’, debunking his bland assertions, and calling his advice “rubbish science”, that would fail a first-year student
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday June 28
Four protesters die in Syria as Foreign Minister insists "there is no crackdown"; Intellectuals and activists seek peace at Damascus meeting (+ analysis); Palestinians turn to UN for statehood support; Karzai accuses Pakistan after attacks on Af-Pak border; Khmer Rouge trials begin; and more
Read MorePhil Heatley wields his magic wand
National is quietly dripfeeding dangerous new housing policies to an unsuspecting public and hopes no-one will notice
Read MoreHello and Goodbye: Why Hone's win is the beginning of the end
Hone Harawira is back in parliament, but his rebirth looks to spell the end for the Maori Party's dream of a united Maori voice. For all the talk of conciliation, the more likely outcome is a battle to the death
Read MoreGoodnight Kiwi – it’s the digital divide
New Zealand is heading for a digital divide that will see a substantial portion of the population disadvantaged by the change. The rot starts with our free-to-air television broadcasting system and expands with the introduction of the ultrafast broadband internet.
Read MoreAlasdair Thompson is wrong... but also, um, right
Yeah, he's a dinosaur and all that. Yes, it's given good fodder for comics, talkback and office wags. But Alasdair Thompson has a few points in his favour. And I've got a few questions about the media coverage
Read MoreAn offer you can't refuse
Residents of Christchurch's Red Zone now have two offers they can choose from. But they really do have to choose one or the other.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday June 24
Obama opts for large Afghanistan troop withdrawl with a promise to "start nation-building at home" (+ analysis); Fears of Taliban takeover as US troops leave; Chinese artist Ai Weiwei released on bail; China warns US to stay out of South China Sea tensions; Relations between Syria and Turkey sour while India and Pakistan hold peace talks; and more
Read MoreWinston Peters past his sell-by date?
It only took a moment, an instinct to get the last word. But Winston Peter's closing remarks on Q+A raise questions about his conviction and comebackability
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday June 23
Opposition activists killed at pro-Assad rallies; EU extends Syria sanctions as analysts say US failing to act; UN Sec-Gen wins second term; Bahrani Shia rebels get life imprisonment; Greek PM narrowly wins no-confidence vote; Sudan threatens to cut off pipeline; and more
Read MoreThe PM's Pike River problems - time to stop digging
John Key's brought some messy baggage back from Australia, and finds himself in a hole of his own making at a very sensitive time politically. Yet every new word just seems to make it worse
Read MoreWorst. Defence. Ever.
Philip Field is trying to clear his name by arguing that while he acted corruptly, being a corrupt MP isn't against the law.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday June 22
Greek PM faces no confidence vote putting austerity measures in doubt; Ash clouds again ground planes in Australia; Obama to announces Afghanistan drawdown Wednesday evening – big or small?; Britain vows to stay the course in Libya despite civilian deaths; Sudan rebel attacks show faultlines to remain even after secession; and more
Read MoreSyrian Slaughter in the Arab Spring
From Jordan, Jane writes: The Arab Spring turned far more murderous, leaving the West, as well as Arab neighbours, to do little but talk while Bashar the Butcher gets on with his slaughter
Read MoreYou Shan't Go To The Ball, Pimentella
How quickly the oppressed become the oppressors
Read MoreAlcohol laws in New Zealand – a chance to create an enduring legacy
Hardly a day passes without the media reminding us how alcohol is causing harm. Now the government has a golden opportunity to create a change in our binge drinking culture, so will it step up to the mark?
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