John Key now has no choice but to act on Aaron Gilmore, but at the same time has to protect is narrow majority in parliament. Someone has to hatch a deal
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday May 9
Obama reaffirms safety commitment to South Korea, calls on North Korea to give up nuclear programme; Malaysia's opposition leader plans rally to protest alleged electoral fraud; Imran Khan conscious and stable in hospital after fall at rally; Brazilians wins top WTO job; and more
Read MoreThe Mighty River Power – unanswered questions
All the parties have reasons to feel satisifed with the first state asset float. But why is it OK to intervene to boost the markets, but not to boost families?
Read MoreFor there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so
In the different stories being told about the sell-off of Mighty River Power, not even numerals mean the same thing to everyone.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday May 8
John Kerry in Moscow for talks with Putin; North Korea moves two missiles from launch sites on eastern coast; China targeting US government computers as part of cyber espionage campaign, says Pentagon; pre-election violence in Pakistan; Muslim Brotherhood' increases presence in Egyptian government; and more
Read MoreChildren's Commissioner fronts for Nats on food in schools: Corporate agenda rules
Food in schools – Russell Wills now Key’s puppet – targeting, corporatisation and the charity model rule
Read MoreMemory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth, but not its twin
Just because Aaron Gilmore said things happened in a particular way doesn't mean we shouldn't believe him when he now says those things happened in a different way. Right?
Read MoreWorld news Brief, Tuesday May 7
Syrian rebels may have used chemical weapons; Palestinian and Israeli leaders meet Chinese president Xi Jinping; North Korea says it won't be using imprisoned American Kenneth Bae as bargaining chip in talks with US; EU urges Africa to open up its markets; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday May 3
American in North Korea sentenced to 15 years of hard labour for alleged "crimes against the state"; China warns US not to meddle in territorial dispute between Beijing and Tokyo; Syrian opposition denounces Hezbollah threat; Cuba to stay on US list of countries that sponsor terrorism; and more
Read MoreNot so happy Gilmore
Is Aaron Gilmore the Reese Witherspoon of New Zealand's Parliament?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday May 2
Obama recommits to closing Guantanamo; Japan wants to sell nuclear infrastructure to Middle East; Malaysia to hold elections this week; anti-Muslim violence in Burma destroys mosques and kills at least one person; three British soldiers killed in roadside bombing in Afghanistan; and more
Read MoreForce-feeding at Gitmo
The force-feeding of hunger-striking prisoners in Guantanamo prison amounts to politically sanctioned torture by the US government, and breaches established international medical ethics treaties.
Read MoreThe frayed orthodoxy
Beyond the cries of 'Muldoonism' and 'North Korean', the Labour-Greens power announcement is an important landmark on the road to the 2014 election – a challenge to orthodoxy and the rise of an alternative
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday May 1
Israel launches attack on Gaza -- first since cease-fire; US and South Korea finish naval drills; US underlines committment to Japan in face of burgeoning missile threats from North Korea; UK to stop giving aid to South Africa; Queen Beatrix of Netherlands abdicates; and more
Read MoreNot guilty doesn't mean innocent, Mr Watson
Eric Watson and Mark Hotchin dodged a bullet yesterday as the SFO decided not to press charges... and responded with about as much grace as you'd expect
Read MoreThe political perils of setting red lines
It's a sure bet President Obama rues the day he failed to quantify the degree to which Syria's Bashar al-Assad would have to use chemical weapons in order to trigger a 'game changer' in the civil war, and therefore cross Obama's 'red line'.
Read MoreIf we're really, really going to be honest, we might as well be brief
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday April 30
Syrian Prime Minister survives bomb attack; Japanese prime minister visits Kremlin; Chinese police arrest suspects in Xinjiang clash; CIA under fire for trying to influence Afghan government with bags of cash; new Italian prime minister faces confidence vote; and more
Read MoreStanding on the wobbly constitutional deck
Why the constitutional review panel is a bit like getting a few mates round at the weekend for some DIY
Read MoreColin Craig, Chapman Tripp and the Streisand Effect (Updated)
They that live by the law, die by the internet
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