Palestinian Authority to submit UN membership application despite opposition; Global markets plunge on perception Fed is running out of ideas; Greece comes to a standstill due to strikes; Yemen deaths grow prompting fears of civil war; China opposes US-Taiwan fighter jet deal; and more
Read MoreFurther on "the Geddis solution" ...
My name is being dropped as the author of a potential way to fix the "problem" of covert video surveillance following the Supreme Court's intervention in the Urewera trials. What are the issues at stake?
Read MoreGreek default? Yawn. Recession? Sigh. But here's a coincidence...
The unsurprising surprise of Europe's economic woes and the IMF's latest predictions gets the once-over from new Pundit Fiona McMillan, a London-based New Zealand business journalist.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday September 22
Obama opposes Palestinian statehood vote, telling UN there is "no shortcut" (+ analysis and visual history); Tens of thousands rally in West Bank to support statehood; Taliban say peace talks were all a ploy to kill Rabbani; North Korea joins talks to end nuclear programme; US extends drone attacks into Africa; and more
Read MoreSingle Serves: The Gastronomic Poetry of Don Brash
Mine | No mine: the fight for Denniston
The fight over the different kinds of wealth on the “impoverished” Denniston plateau is about more than just Denniston. Chances are, it could finish in the Supreme Court
Read MoreBank Robbery deja vu
In 2008, a depressed man robbed a bank – not for the money but so the judge would send him to prison. He got no help in prison and three years later he did it again. Is it time for an inquiry into our judicial system?
Read MoreToo many problems, why am I here?
We are told the Supreme Court's ruling on the use of covert video surveillance has caused a major headache for the Police. Let me fix that for you.
Read MoreRWC chaos - three surprises & some finger pointing
Looking at the meltdown on the Auckland waterfront on RWC opening night, why didn't National MP's push the alarm button? And why did McCully's own committee predict no more than 50,000 people?
Read MoreOnce upon a time in te Urewera ...
Smile! You may be on Police camera ... and may be again.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday September 20
Obama to release $3 trillion deficit-reduction plan; Obama plan includes $1.5 trillion in tax increases, which Republicans expected to oppose; China closes solar panel factory that has been focus of anti-pollution demonstrations; South Korea and US working on joint response to small-scale attacks from North Korea; gunmen kill 36 in a Burundi bar; Farc rebels in Colombia attack police station; and more
Read MoreThe (creaky) rise of the Grandpa State
We may have got rid of Nanny, but someone’s clearly still doing the babysitting
Read MoreThe Opening Skirmish Ended, Let the Battle Proper Commence
MPs who say things in Parliament are absolutely protected from any legal consequences. The officials who tell them what to say aren't. Who'd be a public servant?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday September 16
Investors and markets queue up to predict Greece default as bank shares drop; Merkel warns German MPs about predicting Greek collapse while minister explores what would happen if Greece left the eurozone; New Libyan leaders call for democratic state with sharia law; Japan wants better defence relations with China; Religious violence in Nigeria; Republicans reject Obama tax plans; and more
Read MorePalestine goes the whole hog
The Palestinians will seek full statehood at the UN Security Council next week so as to negotiate peace on a state-to-state basis. Why could that possibly send Israel and the US scrambling? Why indeed.
Read MoreScoring political points in the RWC chaos game
The government has been as twinkle-toed as a winger five metres from the try-line in its handling of the opening night chaos down on the Auckland waterfront. Here's the government's playbook laid bare...
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday September 15
NATO & Afghan forces repel most complex assault on Kabul in decade of war; 11 killed as Taliban strengthens its negotiating hand (+ analysis); China to target domestic growth and buy Euro debt; Moody's cuts ratings of French banks; US tries to block UN vote on Palestine; African Union asks world to seize moment against militant group; and more
Read MoreThe seal basher, and the hang ‘im high club
Twelve months in prison for clubbing to death 23 seals, injuring others, leaves nobody with anything to celebrate.
Read MoreThe powerful Professor Mutu
Margaret Mutu has stirred the pot with comments about restricting white immigration. But the true bite comes in her claim that she can't be racist, a claim that no longer holds water
Read MoreEconomics & asset sales: Why governments get consistently ripped off
Governments are bad negotiators, because democracy demands they tip their hand before going to the bargaining table. That means governments get the short end of asset sale deals
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